Kingdom Possibilities

What lens do we walk around using?

Mary Magdalene’s role in this scene is familiar to many, if not all of us: expecting the worst whilst missing the best.

The situation is that someone has experienced something bad, maybe even terrible (like Mary knowing/seeing that Jesus died). That experience too easily becomes the lens through which we look for a while.

Good news: The tomb is empty.

They have taken the Lord!

Good news: there are angels of the Lord in the empty tomb.

They have taken my Lord…and I don’t know where he is.

Good news: Jesus is right in front of you, asking about your grief.

[To Jesus, unbeknownst]: Did you take him? Where did you put Jesus?!

Of course, who can blame Mary? It was a pretty traumatic week. And we understand she may have had a pretty traumatic life (Mark tells us she experienced seven demons).

But that’s the thing: sometimes too often, what happens to us shapes us. It robs us of our humanity. It disallows us to see things in the light and in the possibility of God’s grace and power.

Mary gets it in time, of course. Jesus is that good.

But what can it be like if we walk around with a Kingdom lens?

John 20:1-18

Early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.” Peter and the other disciple left to go to the tomb. They were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and was the first to arrive at the tomb. Bending down to take a look, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in. Following him, Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. He also saw the face cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t with the other clothes but was folded up in its own place. Then the other disciple, the one who arrived at the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. They didn’t yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb. She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot. The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabbouni” (which means Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her.

Prayer

God,

Help me to see forward with Kingdom eyes. Please, I’m not looking for ignorant bliss. I also want to be privy to injustice. I care about such things. But keep me from compassion fatigue and move me to Kingdom possibilities.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.