Stories, Rumors, and Good News
Some final words from my account of Holy week and
Easter.
Had it not been for the women followers I
would not know any of this second hand. Magdalene, the disciple Jesus loved,
and a couple of others stayed until he was dead. They watched without fear of
being discovered, and when he had breathed his last they paid off the guards
with silver that Judas gave them so they could take his body away to bury. I
never saw Judas again. No one knows why, but there is speculation, stories and
rumors that make him the scapegoat for Jesus arrest, and the most slanderous
rumors are from some in our group that were jealous of his position to
Jesus.
It was the sabbath when he died.
The women bent the rules a bit to get him buried and then keep sabbath. It was
the women of our group that knew what to do to tend to Jesus body when sabbath
was over. They went to his tomb. It was early so they would not be
seen.
Magdalene burst into the room and
startled us all to consciousness from grief sleep. I could tell she had been
crying, and so the words that came out of her that morning seemed to be those
that matched my grief filled dreams. “I’ve seen Jesus. He is
alive,” she said. A couple go to comfort her, but most simply roll back
over and ignore her. “I’ve seen Jesus. The stone was rolled away
from the place we buried him. He is not there.” Those words got the
attention of the group. There was immediate anger that the Romans or someone
else had stolen his body. Peter spoke up, “They did this on purpose.
Someone must have told that Jesus said he would come back to us. Who told! Who
could not keep his mouth shut! Now they will really be looking for us assuming
that we have done this.” The regular prophet readers opened up that old
conversation again. Thomas went to comfort Magdalene, but she pushed him away.
“He told me to come here and tell you, tell you all. I have seen Jesus.
He is alive and will come to see you soon.” Thomas replies, “I
understand Mary. It is ok. We all want to see him again. I want to see him,
hear his voice, believe that our people can be free, and have different lives.
That is not happening now unless someone else does it.” She comes right
back, “I tell you I have seen Jesus and you will see him too.”
After Judas and Peter, Thomas was the one that Jesus spoke with in private
most.
Later, Peter returns from the
tomb. He is angry, amazed, and determined. “His body is not there. The
cloth is there, but not the body.” The prophet readers think they have
found the reason and an explanation. The debate is on! I listen for a bit, but
this is not going to help me. It begins, “Jesus was the sacrifice for us
all, for all our sins.” Then another, “If we believe we too will be
raised from the dead. We all have to be baptized today and go say that Jesus
was raised from the dead by God.” Then another, “The people will
believe this, and rise up against the Romans without fear of death.” And
the debate went on.
I go to Magdalene
and thank her. “You don’t believe me?” she says. I reply,
“I believe you loved the Master more than any of us, and so I believe you
have seen him. I cannot stay here. I must go.” From the leftovers she
packs me a small bag for the journey. “Go in peace,” are the last
words we share. The others are deep in debate and don’t see me
leave.
I have returned to the mountains
where the lepers hide. I’m trying to live the things that Jesus taught.
Word has come that the followers, his disciples, are starting a movement, and
that they have an ally named Saul. Thomas visited me shortly after I left with
a story of seeing Jesus and touching his wounds. “You know I needed to
see him myself, and I did. He was like us but different. I think he wants us
to tell the people we have seen him and teach the things he taught us.”
“Thomas, I think that is good news for you and everyone who
believes.” I said. “I’ve been trying to live those things
Jesus taught here with these people, my people. Our holy day is about to begin.
Come, dine with us. Stay.” He agreed and asked, “I saw you leave
that day. Mary gave you something, what was it?” I smiled as we walked
into the cave to introduce him to the others. “She gave me bread and wine
from the table. We share bread and wine on our holy day as part of our meal.
Everyone, I address the room, this is my friend Thomas. I told you what I know
about Jesus of Nazareth and the things he taught. Thomas has more to share with
us.”
There are stories and rumors
about Jesus of Nazareth. Some call him Messiah or Christ. I remember that he
talked of God and taught about loving God and neighbor. No matter the stories
and rumors I hope people hear the good news I have heard and live it.
That’s how I remember him to this day.
Filed Tue - April 14, 2009, 08:54 AM in
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