At the end of this chapter, the writer of the gospel of Mark leaves us with a cliff hanger. The book you may recall is entitled, “The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” The writer of Mark then pens a powerful first chapter that begins with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus and continues through three days after Jesus’ crucifixion. The last eight verses leave us in suspense. Three women approach the place where Jesus was entombed. They see that the stone that covered the opening had been rolled back. A young man in a white robe announces that Jesus is not in the tomb; he has been raised. The young man instructs the women to go and tell Jesus’ disciples. The women leave the tomb in terror and amazement. They don’t say anything to anyone because they are afraid. The end! What happens next? Has Jesus really been raised from the dead? Will Jesus really meet his disciples in Galilee? What will become of the kingdom that Jesus taught about?
A new day begins. Several chapters have been written in the book, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” We are, however, faced with many of the same questions. What happens next? Will we experience the resurrected Jesus in our lives today? Will the Holy Spirit empower us to carry on Jesus’ mission, to minister to the needs of others and to share God’s love and grace? Is the kingdom of God real and will we live in it today? We will only discover the truth when we take our next steps of faith.
Mark 16:1-8
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.