He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
There are several points in this passage that present some interesting thoughts regarding belief. The first is that the women heard the testimony of the angels and immediately correlated it with what Jesus had told them before the Crucifixion. "I will rise on the third day, meet Me in Galilee." Was it the power of the empty tomb and the presence of the angels that convicted them?
Why didn't the disciples believe the report? Just an idle tale by a bunch of hysterical women? We must not forget that women were considered to be chattel in this culture. Does that attitude carry over into today when we hear the testimony of someone whom the culture relegates to an ignominious position?
But the most startling to me is that Peter went, looked in, saw and believed, but it was a casual belief, inspiring thought—he went home and marveled—it did not inspire transformation, he was not yet the Peter of the Day of Pentecost; he was just beginning the growth spurt, the breaking of the bond of his chrysalis of doubt and timidity. Peter gives me hope, he leads the way towards the full life in Christ that I hunger for.
Today's readings in the Psalms
Morning: Psalm 8
Mid-day: 119:145-152
Evening: Psalm 83
Please address comments to voices@ailbe.org
Voices Together is available as an annual daily devotional and can be purchased at theFellowship Of Ailbe bookstore. A weekly edition, formatted as a bi-fold insert and suitable for distribution can be downloaded at https://www.ailbe.org/resources/item/7251-2016-voices-together-weekly-format. The next edition is available by Thursday of the prior week.
