Hope at the empty grave
The evangelists were inspired to describe the tomb visits from different perspectives. Although they all found the tomb empty, each reports their own details. Matthew mentions an angel rolling away the stone, while Mark speaks of a young man in white robes. Luke describes two men in splendid clothing, and John emphasizes that Mary Magdalene initially came to the tomb alone. Afterward, Peter and he entered the tomb and had the following experience: "Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in and saw and believed, for they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead" (John 20,1:10–). At this point, they were not yet able to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.
There are times in my life when, like many others, I feel the desire to visit the resting places of relatives or friends. Sometimes I visit my mother's grave to bring fresh flowers and clean the stone. Why do we do this? We do it to remember them, to show their appreciation, or to find comfort. Shortly after a death, it's the visible grief for a loved one; later, it's the need to keep fond shared memories alive.
We often long to reclaim what we have lost in some way. Others forgo such visits and find other ways to cope with loss. Some losses cannot be connected to a gravestone, but are buried in the cemetery of our hearts. We may think of the time when we were still healthy, of a friendship that has since ended, or of freedoms we have lost. We often carry several gravestones within us, which we visit daily.
The empty tomb of Jesus changes everything. Our visits to the cemetery mark Jesus' resurrection and remind us that it is not loss that has the final say, but restoration. Jesus is risen and alive! Therefore, we can visit the graves of our loved ones and find hope. The Lord accompanies us to places of pain to comfort us and remind us that one day he will renew all things. Every tomb we visit points to Jesus' triumph over death.
Here is a psalm you can think of when you visit a grave again: "He has strengthened me and saved me; now I can sing for joy. Hear the shouts of joy and songs of victory in the tents of the people of God. They sing: The Lord has done mighty deeds! He has lifted up his hand to win; he has done mighty deeds with his might. I will not die, but I will live and tell what the Lord has done!" (Psalm 118,14-17 Hope for All).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ testifies to God's unwavering and faithful love. May this Easter season be a time of renewed hope and faith for you—a reminder that Jesus Christ is present in you through the Holy Spirit. Yes, he is truly risen!
from Greg Williams
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