Luke 24:5-9

Posted by DJL on Apr 3, 2013 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.

Luke, as we have seen on several occasions, is a charitable historian. Reporting that the disciples only feel asleep once, portraying representatives of the crowds and criminals that accompanied Jesus to the cross as remorseful, depicting the disciples as watching the crucifixion at a distance rather than deserting him, Luke regularly offers a sympathetic portrait of the major players in the divine drama of the passion.

We see that again here. Whereas in other gospels the women do not believe, or are scared so witless they cannot follow the instructions given by the messengers, here they have only forgotten and need just a reminder to call them back to faithfulness.

And, quite frankly, I am glad for Luke’s more sympathetic picture. It’s not that I want to shy away from the candid, even stark, depiction of the shortcomings of the disciples. I can well identify with them and their failures and am grateful for the honestly of the biblical writers in portraying our flawed and fickle hearts.

At the same time, sometimes a reminder really is all we need. A gentle nudge, a call to greater fidelity or effort. And that’s what the angels provide these faithful women – a reminder of what their Lord said and did so that they, in turn, might remember who they are.

Would that we all had messengers to remind us of what God has said and done and, in turn, of who we are!

Oh, but that’s right, we do. That, indeed, is why Luke writes.

Prayer: Dear God, draw us into Scripture regularly that we may learn again and anew your promises for us and all people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Post image: “The Three Marys at the Tomb” by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308.