Mark 16:3
The
best thought out plans sometimes miss some things. It can be almost impossible
to think of every possible contingency. This is where having many minds focused
on the task is important. But not just minds like yours. We need a variety of
minds, temperaments, training, professions, backgrounds, and learning styles,
among other things. You need fresh eyes, as well. Sometimes things are too
familiar, too routine. And because of that, you can miss some obvious things,
things an outsider would see right away, but you miss.
Well,
our ladies missed something in their plans to finish the burial process of
Jesus. They forgot about the stone rolled in front of the entrance. They were
not strong enough to move it. You see, normally all the burial preparations
would have been made prior to the stone being rolled in front of the entrance.
The body would have been washed, wrapped and placed in the tomb, along with the
normal burial spices. Then the stone would have been placed.
But
because Jesus burial was done hastily, all these steps did not take place.
Pilate had released the body to Joseph, and Joseph had to rush to get it in the
tomb before the beginning of the Passover festival. On these holiday celebrations,
everyone was required to attend. The death of a non-relative was not a valid
excuse for missing it. So things were done quickly.
The
women, in their grief and sorrow, missed the stone step. Their minds kicked
into ‘burial routine’ mode and as is usual when there is an unexpected death,
they were probably running on autopilot. Their emotions were numb, with
occasional moments of overwhelming sorrow. That is the way grief is. Things seem to be
going just fine, all of a sudden out pops the grief. Over time there are fewer
pops, but they can still happen, even years later.
But
for these women, the grief is fresh. They aren’t thinking straight. This is why
it is important to have other people be around when important decisions need to
be made right after a death. Talking with the funeral director about the arrangements
is one of those times when a clearer thinking mind is needed.
Someone
must roll the stone away. It seems so obvious to us. How could they forget to
think about it? But they did. And now they are walking to the tomb on that
Sunday morning, and it hits one of them. I can almost see the light bulb go on.
I can see it on her face. Her eyes widen, realization, shock, dismay, and then
she speaks the words. It had probably been a fairly quiet journey up until that
point. I don’t imagine them joking and kidding around. And then she speaks and
the others react as she did. Can you see it? Can you imagine what it would have
felt like to realize you had forgotten about the stone?
You
see, these women were people just like us, real emotions, real life situations.
Their reactions would have been very much like our reactions. They were on
their way, doing their job, and the missing piece hits them.
Who
will roll away our stones and let us into the life that Jesus’ resurrection
brings?