John 20:10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
John 20:14 At this, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
Why did Peter and the “other disciple” leave the empty tomb on Easter morning while Mary did not? The disciples saw something in the empty tomb which they presumably wanted to share. The story says that the other disciple (not Peter) went into the tomb, saw and believed. So, they go back to the others but Mary is still at the tomb just as sad and confused as ever. Didn’t Peter explain what he had come to understand about the resurrection to her? Didn’t they ask her to come back with them? Why did she just stay put? I have no answers for any of these. What strikes me though is that it was Mary who had the encounter with Jesus. The other two had seen the scene of the resurrection, had come to a new understanding of Jesus, had no doubt been filled with new energy to head off and share this with the others. But it was Mary, maybe still paralyzed by grief or confusion or weariness who meets the risen Jesus. Most of us pride ourselves on being doers, people who accomplish things, who get things done, good and important things like the two disciples did. But sometimes, maybe, in doing so, we miss out on seeing Jesus who would show up if we just stayed still. I hope you had a wonderful Easter that was filled with beauty and excitement and wonder. I’m guessing it was busy with church and family and food and a lot of running around implementing all of these. In the midst of this did you in some way encounter Jesus? Might it have been different if you had been more still? Might it be so in the coming week?
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 