They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” – Mark 16:3
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. – John 20:1
As we approach Good Friday and remember the death of Christ, it might be helpful for us to imagine the thoughts and feelings of the first women to go to the Garden. They were the same women who had stayed by Him at the Cross. They saw the horrific pain He endured. They were there when He drew His last breath. They had seen the crucifixion and death of Jesus. They understood death to be the end.
Now, going into Sunday morning, they were still so overcome with grief that they couldn’t sleep any longer and got up before the sun. While it was still dark, they made their way to His tomb. I can only imagine how difficult and lonely it must have felt to make their way in the darkness. But they didn’t let the fear of the unknown stop them. Along the way they were reminded of the stone in front of the tomb; it would be impossible for them to roll it away. But they didn’t let the impossible stop them from going.
Think of what could have happened. They could have very realistically thought that there wouldn’t be any point in going to the tomb since they wouldn’t be able to access the body. Or they could have considered waiting till later in the day when more people would have been out and they might have been able to ask someone for help in opening the tomb. But, even though they considered the impossibility of their situation, they didn’t let it stop them from their pursuit. In the darkness and without a way to access the tomb – they set out.
There will be times when we face things that seem impossible. Perhaps we have been given a diagnosis that seems insurmountable. Maybe we have experienced a job change or the loss of a loved one. We might not know how we will make it. We might not be able to see the next step we need to make. But even in the midst of darkness, we can trust the presence of Christ to provide all that we truly need. And then, we might encounter those extraordinary moments when darkness yields to the light, where that which is imprisoned is set free, and death gives way to life. Christ is the living witness to God making the impossible, possible.
Rev. Wendy Lambert, Senior Executive Pastor
