This marble tomb was built in 1810, an
unconvincing representation of the Garden tomb where Jesus was
buried. It stands today ablaze with oil lamps reflecting on the
pinkish marble and golden fittings. A small place, an ornate
place, a rather ugly place, a remarkably holy place, the place of
the resurrection of Jesus, for deep beneath this marble slab lies
a tomb, one of many tombs in this whole area which archeological
digs have shown to be a cemetery of the first century. Deep
beneath this marble slab lies the ruins of a fourth century
shrine, the shrine of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea,
named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be
given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean
linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in
the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb
and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there,
sitting opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:57-61)
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite
the tomb. Just sitting and watching. And us? We also wait and we
watch with them. We watch a world for which Jesus allowed himself
to be nailed to the Cross. We watch a world that is still as
imperfect as the world in which Jesus lived. We watch a world
where Jerusalem herself is still a battle-ground. And, like Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary, we watch in the hope that we, too,
may see that life continues beyond the Cross, so that we and all
who have followed the way of the Cross may truly find it none
other than the way of life and peace. Amen.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like thine!
This is my Friend,
In whose sweet praise
I all my days
Could gladly spend.
The Passion of our Lord and his
infinite merits be unto us for the forgiveness of sins, the
increase of grace, and the reward of life eternal; and the
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit, be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.
