The first photo above is a story of the past and the present with blossoming flowers and flowers which faded away. One can stay occupied by the past or be drawn by the present.
The second and the third photos bring another message. The present subsumes the past. The past has a continuity with the present, but the present engages our attention. The spider in the second photo reinforces that message even more! The blossoming flowers become a home for the spider. The flowers live their purpose of being open to give! The third photo announces that vividly!
On this Easter morning, these thoughts spring a searching question within me about the experiences of women and Peter who went to the tomb of Jesus on the third day after His crucifixion !
The women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James along with other women, having been told by two men at the tomb, "why do you seek the living One among the dead?" returned from the tomb and "reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest" (Luke 24: 1-12).
For those who heard them, these words, "appeared to them as nonsense and they would not believe them".
What followed is even more disturbing. Peter 'arose and ran to the tomb, stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home 'marvelling' at that which had happened.
The women became messengers of the good news and Peter remained self absorbed marvelling at what happened, still absorbed with crucifixion. The women joined the fellowship of the wounded disciples and found strength to gain hope and faith !
The flowers above were open and fragrant and became a home for a spider.
Peter belonged to the eleven who took the words of women that Jesus had risen as 'nonsense'. Yet He did not return to be with them to authenticate that Jesus was no more in the tomb after he saw an empty tomb. He went home marvelling or doubting !
Peter, a follower of Jesus, who confessed to Jesus that 'Thou art the Christ' failed to remember the words of Jesus that He would suffer and die but will rise on the third day. Where as the women, who heard the two men speak to them at the tomb, that '"He son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again" remembered these words.
The women remembered to believe and to announce the good news to the eleven disciples. Peter in spite of seeing an empty tomb, could not go beyond the experience of crucifixion and his painful recollection of his own denial of Jesus! He retreated to stay at home. He failed to authenticate the message of the women to the disciples and others gathered by his own testimony of the empty tomb.
In the narration of the visit to the tomb in the John's gospel, Peter with another disciple went to the tomb. The other disciple ran ahead of Peter, entered the tomb twice and saw the linen cloth and face-cloth, following which he believed that Jesus had risen (John 20: 3-10). Peter too entered the tomb. Both went to their home following this.
The resurrection scene highlighted two contradictory responses to the first hand experiences of seeing an empty tomb! The women remembered the words of Jesus that He would rise again and believed it. Peter could not go beyond staying occupied with the event of crucifixion! The women became enablers to help the eleven disciples to believe. Peter stayed occupied with himself and lost sight of his companions who needed an affirmation that Jesus had risen! Peter might have been helped by the other disciples to overcome the guilt of his denial of Jesus to believe and wait for the forthcoming mystery to unfold.
In John's narration, we get to see the 'unbelieving' Peter announcing to some disciples that, 'I am going fishing' to which the other disciples said, 'We will also come with you' 9John 21: 3). That is a disappointing turn of events. This happened after Jesus had appeared a few times to be with His disciples after He had risen (John 20:19-29)! I suspect Peter is portrayed in this narration as one who lived suffering following his denial of Jesus.
I come back to the first photo above. The three women saw the new blossoms. The disciple Peter was still engaged with the fallen flowers- Jesus who died and his detail of Jesus! An unbelieving or yet to be reconciled Peter led even other disciples to a path of 'denying' their call to be followers of Jesus, by returning to their profession of fishing!
The transition from the thoughts on the death of Jesus to His resurrection is an experience!
The three women who went to the tomb of Jesus, were 'perplexed' about how the stone of the tomb was rolled away. They found the body of Jesus missing! It was to those who were perplexed came the clarification from two men at the tomb in 'dazzling apparel'! That is the hope to all those who feel weary while on a pilgrim journey!
In the novel, The Alchemist, Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd boy, having a pursued his dream of searching after a treasure, began digging at the foot of the Egyptian pyramid, was told by a stranger that he saw a dream of a treasure hidden near a ruined chapel, which reminded Santiago of the place where he used to rest while shepherding his sheep. He returned abandoning his search and dug the ground to find his treasure. Paulo Coelho's vivid portrayal of finding a treasure following a chaotic and turbulent 'pilgrim journey' brings an affirming message to all those who remain perplexed in the journey of life!
Peter did not confront his 'perplexed state' but quickly moved to stay 'marvelled' and withdrew to his home. He chose to avoid an enquiring or clarifying journey by being in the company of those who were also perplexed and searching! He insulated himself in the security and privacy of his home! The marvelling experience did not make him exuberant but subdued him to dwell on the theme of death of Jesus and not beyond!
I suppose the three women and Peter were mid lifers! The three women faced a mid-life stress of death of their master, with an open mind searching for meaning beyond. They were guided to the mystery of resurrection.
Peter while engaging a mid-life loss, returned to his home, to stay occupied with the loss !
There is a journey beyond stress and loss in mid life! The women made that journey initially to the tomb, and then on to real life by becoming messengers of resurrection to people who were caught in mid life stress and loss. Peter journeyed home, where he prolonged dwelling on his loss!
When I noticed this sight of jasmine bush giving forth buds, I wondered, if this is a symbol of the hope that sustains us during times of perplexed state in our lives !
There is a dawn beyond every sunset!
M.C.Mathew( text and photo)
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