Throughout Lent, my congregation and I explored many of the biblical stories that surrounded the imagery of rocks or stones. Considering the landscape of the Holy Land, I suppose it should be a surprise that there were many stories to choose from. Rocks, stones… and more rocks.
Easter’s story was of the stone that was rolled away.
Mark’s Gospel tells that it was a big stone (really, really big), and Matthew speaks of an earthquake moving it from it’s perch. Luke, however, simply mentions that it had been moved.
For so many folks, it would be wonderful if it was as simple as that. A stone moved. He is Risen! But so many of us find ourselves with the women not making the connection between the rolling stone, and the risen Christ. They walk into the tomb and find it empty – and it is not an emptiness that inspires hope, but despair.
Two angels appear. You’d think at a time like this, the women would have questions – but it is the angels who direct the interrogation. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” and “Don’t you remember what he said…?” The women remember – and with the realization they run from the tomb to preach the first sermon (which, by the way, falls flat on most of those who hear it).
They don’t need to see Jesus. Remembering what He said is enough. The stone rolled away now makes sense. The impossible has become possible.
It makes me wonder what other stones have been rolled away – what other things have happened that we’ve not understood simply because we’ve not remembered what He said. It makes me wonder about all the stones that I carry about with me which could be moved, if I only remembered what He said. It makes me wonder what other impossible things could become possible…. if only I took the time to remember, and to live into that remembering.
A blessed Eastertide to you and yours. May it be spent in remembering… and then going forth with joy.
The Quirky Calvin-isht 