Matthew
28:8-15
Filled
with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to
tell the disciples. And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Rejoice! ’ he
said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his
feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that
they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’ While they were on their
way, some of the guard went off into the city to tell the chief priests all
that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some
discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these
instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night
and stole him away while we were asleep.” And should the governor come to hear
of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that
you do not get into trouble.’ The soldiers took the money and carried out their
instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews.
Food
for thought.
The
women (Mary Magdalene and the other Mary) were the first to receive the news of
the Risen Lord and to encounter him after death. They had been there at the
Cross; they had been there when he was laid in the tomb; and now there are
there to receive love's reward; they were the first to know the joy of the
Resurrection. Yes, Jesus knows how to reward his faithful: Jesus met them on
their way and greeted them; Jesus loves those who love him; Jesus rewards those
who seek him.
There
are things that are worth noting here about the women:
First,
the women are urged to share the news. Their first duty is to share the news
with others. "Go, tell my brothers!" is the first command which comes
from Jesus to the man or woman that has discovered the wonder of Jesus Christ.
Thanks to these women that men came to know of the news of the Risen Lord.
Indeed, women can and should evangelize men.
This
said, isn't it odd that it was just the women that came to the tomb that
morning? Where were / are men? By and large, even today, if it weren't for the
women in the church, most churches would have to shut their doors! Thank God
for these women who loved and love Jesus with all their hearts! We thank our
women and their dedication. Because of you, our churches are still open.
Second,
the women are urged to rejoice. The word with which the Risen Christ meets them
is "Rejoice!" The man or woman that has met the Risen Lord must live
forever in the joy of his presence from which nothing can part him any more.
Third,
as the women get ready to spread the good news, some men are getting
ready to spread lies. Always, we shall have people against what Christ tells us
to do. Sometimes these people are church goers, like in today's gospel reading.
When some of the guard came to the chief priests and told them the story of the
empty tomb, these priests were desperately worried men. Was it possible that
all their planning had come to nothing? So they formed a simple plan; they
bribed the members of the guard to say that Jesus' disciples had come while
they slept and had stolen his body.
It
is interesting to note the means that the priests used in their desperate
attempts to eliminate Jesus. They used treachery to lay hold on him. They used
illegality to try him. They used slander to charge him to Pilate. And now they
were using bribery to silence the truth about him. And they failed. Magna
est veritas et praevalebit, ran the Roman proverb, saying: Great is the
truth and it will prevail. It is the fact of history that not all men's evil
machinations can in the end stop the truth. The gospel of goodness is greater
than the plots of wickedness. So, as Jesus said, Do not be afraid!
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