Transforming grief to joy
Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ icon in St. Paul Church, Dayton, OH. Image used with permission Creative Commons 2.0 licence.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
John 20:11-16
Over the last six weeks of Lent, our focus has been on spiritual disciplines, including repentance, prayer, reading God’s Word, fasting and good works. Throughout these weeks, we reflected on God’s incredible grace to us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). God is continually at work, serving us, loving us and redeeming us because of his great love for us. Love so great that he sent Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16).
As Lent draws to a close and the events of Holy Week consume our focus, it can seem like we are walking further and further into darkness, as we see the corruption of the temple, the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and the crowds, the betrayal by close friends, the bloodlust and brutality of the crucifixion, the sealed tomb.
But that’s not the full picture! Walking with Jesus through this week, we see that the One who set His face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) is at work, fulfilling scripture, cleansing places of worship and human hearts, bringing light in the darkness of our souls, saving us despite our continual failures, defeating the powers of this world, overcoming death and the devil.
However, like Mary rushing to the tomb on the day of the Resurrection and failing to recognise the risen Lord standing in front of her (John 20:11-16), our eyes too are often blinded by the griefs and worries of this life so that we cannot see Christ’s victory and the hope it brings.
I have to say that these six weeks of Lent have had their share of griefs and woes as the faithful Lutherans in Australia have sought to act according to their conscience and in line with God’s Word. While many have determined to simply walk away from their former church home in order to remain true to God’s Word, others have been struggling with what to do and how to serve those around them. This has been met with mixed reactions, but many Confessional pastors and lay people have felt the sting of opposition and the criticism that comes when you follow God’s Word. At such times it is all too easy to be distracted from what Christ has accomplished for us and to get bogged down in sin and despair. With congregations in limbo, pastors struggling to serve with a good conscience and people feeling no option but to leave, no one can blame you for being distracted, perhaps even despairing.
But the Resurrected Christ, who transforms Mary’s grief to indescribable joy simply by calling her name, continues to call your name that you too might rejoice and face the future with hope. Jesus is eager to remind you that because you were joined to Him in baptism, you can face this current mess with hope.
Jesus is with us in our struggles. He has overcome the powers of evil so that His kingdom might come, as He taught us to pray. What’s more, He promises to bless us through our struggles, as they teach us to trust in Him and to repent of those things which have become idols in our lives.
I know that this can sound like pie-in-the-sky talk that doesn’t actually make any difference to our daily reality. But I’m here to tell you that couldn’t be further from the truth. I remember talking to a dear African sister in Christ who had been through unmentionable horror in her home country. As she recounted the atrocities that were committed against her, I asked her how she survived things you and I cannot even imagine. She told me simply that Jesus was with her when those she loved were being killed, when she was being tortured, when it seemed like she was close to death. Jesus was right there in the pit with her.
My dear friends, our Resurrected Lord Jesus is also with you as you struggle and suffer through these most trying times. As your eyes are swollen with tears of grief just like Mary’s as she approached the tomb, Jesus calls you by name, assuring you of His presence, His promise, His mercy and His future. I know it doesn’t ease the pain or make the journey any less difficult, but it does assure us there is a sure and certain hope, secured by the One who overcame even the grave for you.
So even though it’s a few days early, remember, Christ has risen! And He has risen for you, that you might be His eternally.
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4
The peace of the Lord Jesus be with you,
Pastor Matt Anker
President, LM-A