Why Are You Crying?

Easter Sunday April 12, 2020

Why Are You Crying?

Ps. 118 1 -2, 14 – 24; John 21 : 1 – 18.

Ezekiel Ette

In the 2000 years of Christianity, there are only two recorded occasions where the church was officially closed around the world. The first was during the Spanish Flu which occurred between 1918 and ended in 1920. The COVID – 19 this year will be the second time this has happened. Wars and persecution did not close the church in the past and many gave their lives for what they believed in. It is interesting to note that swords did not stop worship but the two incidences just mentioned, both from invisible enemies did.

The church is closed and like those who lived 100 years ago during the Spanish Flu, we are asked to worship from home. Easter is a special time in the church calendar, but this year the gatherings and the rituals we cherish have become public danger and if we must survive, life as we know it must be arrested and put on hold. Pope Francis laments our present predicament when he noted that “thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void”. Yet all is not lost and we will rise from all these and the church will become strong again.

This Easter morning, it is easy to dwell on our present predicament in our fear and angst and forget the message of Easter and the promise of hope that it brings to all believers, and so I want us to reflect on the story of the Resurrection as the Evangelist John recalled the story. Turn with me to the Gospel According to St John 21 : 1 – 18. I want us to look at the question that was posed to Mary, first by the angels and then by our Lord himself: “Why are you crying?” This seems to be a rather simple question but it is a spiritual as well as an existential question that seeks meaning about Mary’s action and emotions. Let us quickly summarize the story to help us understand this question and why it was asked.

Mary rushed to the tomb in her grief on the first day of the week, St John reports. It was not even daylight yet. To her astonishment, the stone that was supposed to cover the entrance of the tomb was rolled away. Obviously, that was a sign that there was an intruder and that someone had tampered with the tomb. Notice that she quickly made two assumptions on seeing what she thought was a vandalized tomb as she reported what she saw to the disciples. First, the body was removed; second, the whereabout was unknown. The disciples hurried to the cemetery and went a little further than Mary: they looked inside the tomb only to find the wrappings of the body, but not the body. Simon Peter later went much further and entered the tomb which gave others the courage to join him inside. (v. 8). Not finding answers, the disciples left the scene and returned to their homes (v. 10). Mary refused to leave the tomb but this time alone she stooped and looked inside. That is when she discovered two people sitting opposite each other who turned out to be angels sitting where the body was. They asked her the question which formed out text today. “Woman, why are you crying?? (v. 13). Notice her response to the question all resting on her prior assumptions: “they have taken my Lord away and I do not know where they have laid the body”. It was then that she turned around and saw Jesus, but she did not recognize him. Jesus then asked the same question that the angels asked: “Woman why are you crying?” She now makes the third assumption, blaming who she thought was the cemetery keeper Just show me where you kept the body, she accused him. It was not until the Lord called her by her name that her eyes opened and she realized that she was talking to the great teacher (v. 16). Notice again Jesus’ reply : stop clinging to me for I have not yet ascended to the father”. Mary did what we all do she ran back to the disciples to tell the good news.

The good news to all of us is that Good Friday is always followed by Easter Sunday. When the pain of the cross is passed we rejoice and celebrate the Resurrection. The pain of the quarantine, the isolation, the fear of this invisible enemy will pass and we will rise to the joys of reclaiming our lives back. Given this reality the question that was asked of Mary is asked of us this Easter morning “Why are you crying?’