Moving Forward Even When It Seems Impossible

The women lead again.

If they had stopped on their way, certain of the impossibility of the task, they would not have found out that it was already accomplished.

The women showed up. It surely wasn’t in their plans just three days earlier. And surely they were in grief. But they showed up to care for Jesus’ body.

And on their way, amidst their deep grief and vast uncertainty about the future, they wondered: Who is going to roll away the large stone from the entrance? How were they going to get in?

But when they got there, they saw that it had already been done.

If they had stopped on their way, certain of the impossibility of the task, they would not have found out that it was already accomplished.

How often does this happen in our own lives? We hesitate, we fear, we imagine the obstacle will be too much. But resurrection stories begin with faithful steps, even in uncertainty.

The women didn’t know the ending. But they showed up anyway. They acted in love. And they discovered that the barrier had already been moved.

Mark’s gospel ends abruptly in verse 8—with fear, astonishment, and silence. No angels singing. No appearances from the risen Christ (not yet, anyway). Just trembling women and an empty tomb.

Maybe that’s the point.

Resurrection doesn’t always arrive with clarity or confidence. Sometimes it begins in awe. In fear. In wordless wonder. And still—we go. We keep walking. Even if the stone looks too heavy.

Because wherever we are going, if we faithfully walk forward, we’ll find that God has already been there all along.

Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus’ dead body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were saying to each other, “Who’s going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. (And it was a very large stone!) Going into the tomb, they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side; and they were startled. But he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He isn’t here. Look, here’s the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Psalm 27:1, 13-14

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone? The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything?

But I have sure faith that I will experience the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!

Hope in the Lord! Be strong! Let your heart take courage! Hope in the Lord!

Prayer

God,

Thank you for Sundays. As your Church gathers today, they do so in the wake of events unknown this time last week. A crashed plane. A new war, or at least a new chapter of an old one. And all sorts of other things still on-going, but seemingly untold: famine deeply embedded in many places. Drought in some, too. And humanitarian aid slashed by more than one nation.

So Lord, do what you would through those that can help. Even so, help us to clearly focus our efforts through the hope of resurrection and not fear of the worst.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.