EASTER MORNING QUENCHES THE GRIEF. Part 2

EASTER MORNING QUENCHES THE GRIEF

Part 2

I know that Easter has passed in most countries in the world. It has been celebrated at different times in different countries. I feel that the content of Easter is the most important in our Christian history.

I finished last time with the crucifixion of Jesus. He was hanging on a cross together with two other criminals. One was mocking Jesus and the other was asking Jesus if He could remember him when He came to His kingdom. Jesus was answering him: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Jesus was mocked and tortured, but He could still say: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” I am often referring to this scripture when people have a hard time to forgive.

It was the sixth hour. Darkness covered the entire country till the ninth hour. The sun was covered by darkness. The veil of the temple was torn in two and Jesus cried out with a high voice: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” After that Jesus died. It says that He breathed His last. A council member with the name Joseph asked if he could bury Jesus. Joseph was for Jesus. He was allowed to take Him and he took Him down, wrapped Him in a linen, and laid Him in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock. A huge stone was covering the opening of the tomb. Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene saw where Jesus was laid.

When the Sabbath was over, some of the women bought spices and oil that they could use to anoint Him. They wondered how they should manage to pull away the heavy stone that was covering the opening. When they came to the tomb, they saw that the stone was already rolled away. When they entered the grave, they saw one and some say that two angels were there clothed in white robes. First the woman got afraid, but the angel said to them: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. They were told to tell the disciples. In John 20 we read that Jesus Talked to Mary Magdalene. She didn’t recognize Him first and she though he was the gardener. When Jesus called her name, she knew it was Jesus. He said that she shouldn’t touch Him because He hadn’t been to His Father yet. Jesus said that He would go to His Father who was their God as well.

When the women told the disciples, they didn’t believe them, but Peter and another disciple ran to the tomb and found it empty. The only thing they saw was the cloth of linen. The content of the story is the same in all the four Gospels, but the details vary from Gospel to Gospel.

Two of the disciples travelled the same day to a village called Emmaus. That was seven miles from Jerusalem. When they walked and talked about all the things that had happened, they were joined with a third person. It was Jesus, but they didn’t recognize Him. The disciples told Him everything that the women had told them about the empty grave. Jesus said to them that they were slow to believe and He reminded them of the prophesies of the prophets. He explained the Scriptures for them. He went with them when they should eat and He took the bread, broke it and blessed it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him. Jesus vanished from them then. They shared what they had experienced with the other disciples. While they were doing that Jesus came and were with them. He said: “Peace to you.” The disciples were first afraid, but Jesus allowed them to touch His feet and hands. Thomas was the one to doubt the most.

Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. They had been out fishing all night without getting anything. When Jesus came, they didn’t understand that it was Jesus. He asked them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. They got so much then that they could hardly draw it in. Jesus had already made food to them, but took also some of the new fish and put on the fire. The disciples had started to understand that it was Jesus, but they acted a little strange. I was once at the Sea of Tiberias and we had communion. I was thinking about this story then.

The four Gospels have different ways of describing the last times with Jesus on earth. One describes how Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. The answer was always yes, and Jesus asked him to feed His lambs. Matthew finishes his book with the Great Commandment. Jesus says that we should make all people to disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We should also teach them to do the things that the Lord had taught us. The Lord would never leave us. In Mark 16:17 we read about driving out demons, speaking in new tongues, healing the sick and being protected from poison and snakes. Before Jesus left them, He blessed them and said that they should get power when the Holy Spirit came. Both the disciples and many more gathered in praying for the next ten days.

BE BLESSED!

Mother Else