Resurrection

Transformed in the tomb
Searching for treasure: An Easter morning tradition

Easter brunch at Nana’s was a big event in the life of our children and their cousins. It was the site of a traditional egg hunt. After everyone had a basket full of chocolates, gleaned from numerous outdoor locations, Grandpa would gather the children and read a little poem. The poem held the clue to the location of the treasure, a gold mesh bag of chocolate nuggets.

I remember one Easter in particular. Our daughter, about 4 years old, stood very quietly, listening attentively. Grandpa finished reading the poem and the boys dashed off. Our daughter remained still until she had solved the puzzle.

As she was on her way to retrieve the treasure, one of her older cousins, observing her movements, outran her, triumphantly grasped the treasure and exclaimed, “I found it!’ He ran off, the cousins (all boys) in pursuit, to show us. Our daughter remained at the spot, crying.

Even though the treasure would eventually be shared out, the hunt created tension. Who would be smart enough, fast enough and wily enough to get to the treasure first?

Our daughter held in tension the elements required to successfully discover the treasure’s location. She was able to sit with the mystery of the puzzle to unravel its meaning, whereas enthusiasm powered the boys as they ran all about.

The first Easter morning: John 20: 1-18
Tension characterizes the dawn of the first Easter morning.

In John’s Gospel, Mary of Magdala goes to the tomb of the crucified Jesus and finds it empty. Afraid that someone has stolen the body, she runs to find Peter. 

Together with Mary, Peter and another disciple run back to the tomb.

 Peter and John Running to the Tomb (1898)
Eugene Burnand
Musee d'Orsay, Paris

The two male disciples enter the empty tomb, notice the discarded burial cloths and run off, leaving Mary alone.

The male disciples, like little boys searching for treasure, are in a hurry. They are unable to be still in the presence of the mystery confronting them. Peter discovers the treasure but does not fully grasp its meaning before running off to share the news with the others.

Mary Magdalene (1535-1540)
Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo
 National Gallery

Mary, however, holds her grief, fears, confusion and hope in tension. She remains weeping at the tomb. She is prepared to wait, to inquire and to discover. And so, Mary is the first to enter deeply into the mystery and presence of the risen Jesus.

Weeping at the tomb: a universal experience

There are times when life leaves us weeping at the tomb. Disappointment, humiliation, illness, suffering and loss can take us into the darkness of the tomb. Anger, shame, grief and sorrow are the burial cloths that obscure our vision. Slowly, we emerge from the pain of our personal crucifixions to re-experience the joy of living.

In the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, we see the pattern of human experience, the cycle of mini deaths and resurrections that transform us.

The resurrection is not only a future hope we hold in our hearts. We experience resurrection now. Out of our bleakest experiences we emerge with a treasure, nuggets of wisdom forged in the darkness to illuminate our rising.

May your Easter be blessed with the joy of transformation. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Speaking Truth to Power

Jesus of Montreal

One of my favorite movies about the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus is Jesus of Montreal, directed by Denys Arcand. The movie is an unorthodox retelling of the story of Jesus. (For my review of this movie, please click on "Other Stuff". Click "Home" to return to main page.)

During Lent, it is worthwhile to reflect on a scene in the film from the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate. Does the trial of Jesus have anything to say to us in the 21st century?

"Jesus before Pilate"
courtesy of http://clipart.ochristian.com/

Pilate is a man of political and military power. Pilate bluntly tells Jesus that he holds the power of life and death over him. Yet, despite this tremendous power, Pilate is insecure. He seeks the wisdom of Jesus, a man he perceives to be without power. He philosophizes about mortality and immortality, trying to draw Jesus into debate. He asks Jesus, “What is truth?” The scene makes clear that power and truth are not synonymous.

In the Gospel accounts, Jesus is on trial before Pilate precisely because he spoke the truth to power. In his ministry, Jesus confronted the Jewish religious authorities through his words and works. He became indignant when he saw injustice. Jesus demonstrated that those in power do not necessarily possess truth.

Jesus spoke the truth to power; the cost was his life.

Speaking truth to power in today's world

The phrase, “speaking truth to power,” originates with a Quaker pamphlet published in 1955 that responded to the Cold War. (Read the original pamphlet at http://www.quaker.org/sttp.html)

There are many examples in today's world of people speaking truth to power. Recent events in the Middle East and North Africa illustrate the effects of speaking the truth to power. For example, in Egypt, the collective voice of peaceful protest was successful in removing a long time ruling regime. The unfolding chaos in Libya is an example of the grave risks citizens take when they begin to speak the truth to power.

Protesters in Egypt

In Latin America, peasants and indigenous people, with the help of international non-governmental organizations, speak the truth to power in order to protect their rights to land and food sovereignty. In North Honduras, The United Peasant Movement of Aguan successfully lobbied for 10,000 hectares of land for impoverished peasants. (Information from The Development and Peace 2009-2010 Annual Report, which can be accessed at:

http://devp.org/devpme/eng/aboutus/doc/Rapport_annuel_2009-2010.pdf)

Speaking truth to power as a form of discipleship

As followers of Christ, we are each called to speak the truth to the powers that bind people. There are numerous way to do this, and they will be different depending on each person’s gifts, sensibilities, situation and call from God.

In the spirit of Lent, we can ask ourselves, “Where can I improve my discipleship in speaking truth to power?"

As a follower of Christ, do I affirm the dignity of each person?

• Am I aware of the power of hopelessness on the homeless, the mentally ill, and the lonely? Are there ways I can help?

• Do I speak out in social situations against the power of destructive attitudes, like prejudice, racism, and sexism?

• Do I allow the power of selfishness to dominate my life?

• Do I have the courage to speak the truth to family and friends about personal matters?

As a follower of Christ, do I promote social justice? 



• Do I engage in efforts to alleviate poverty at home and abroad?

• Do I support the activities of organizations that work to create greater global justice?

• Do I inform myself about the local situation, analyze social policy, and try to make a difference?

As a follower of Christ, do I exercise proper stewardship of creation? 

• Do I reign in my desire for material things or have I become a victim to the power of consumerism?

• Do I monitor my use of natural resources or am I more interested in the power of convenience?

Like Pilate, we too might ask, “What is truth?” We are much luckier than Pilate; we have over 2000 years of Christianity and reflection on the life of Jesus to help us ascertain truth, and to discover our own unique way of living in truth. Like Jesus, may the content of our lives speak truth to power.