Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Rolling Stones - an Easter message



The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, in his homily for Easter, "Look Again" talks about rolling away stones. He begins with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, going to the tomb on the third day after the crucifixion to give Jesus the proper Jewish burial he was denied. They encountered the stone blocking entrance to the tomb in which Jesus’ body had been laid. They “looked again,” (in the perfect tense in Greek), and found the stone rolled away. Logue discusses how they reacted at that time, and later, as they once again “looked again.” The difference in what they did (fleeing) is seeing through the eyes of the world, seeing problems and obstacles, without hope; and seeing through the eyes of faith, and turning over the obstacles and problems to God who has already (perfect tense) provided the way through it all, and who has given us the courage, strength, conviction, purpose... and hope, to move ahead, and follow where Jesus leads us. 

Compare this with the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus who defied the gods and put Death in chains so that no human needed to die. When Death was eventually liberated and it came time for Sisyphus himself to die, he concocted a deceit which let him escape from the underworld. After finally capturing Sisyphus, the Greek gods decided on his punishment for all eternity. He would have to push a rock up a mountain; upon reaching the top, the rock would roll down again, leaving Sisyphus to start over. Without hope, condemned to repeat a meaningless task, forever.

What are the stones which need to be rolled away in our lives? Can we look again, as God sees us, and the world? The good news of Easter is, we can. With hope. Thanks be to God, through Christ, our Lord. Let us follow where he leads.


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