Mark 16:1-8

Mark 16:1-8 (NRSV)

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Call this one an honest ending.

This original ending of the Gospel of Mark has always struck me. We are used to Easter and the Resurrection as our high, triumphant day on the church calendar.

But here Mark shows that an initial reaction anyway to Jesus' being gone from the tomb was anything but triumphant and joyous.

Here, instead, the women run away in fear.

And quite honestly, I think I might have wanted to do the same.

Resurrection - despite Jesus' frequent predictions of it - was unexpected, surprising, and awe-inspiring to his disciples. And their reactions to it were understandably not filled initially with courage, conviction, and triumph.

And it is in the midst of this fear.

This terror.

This lack of understanding and conviction.

That the Gospel story took root and took off.

The fact that the early disciples admitted to this fear, and that 2000 years later, Christianity has become what it is, makes this resurrection story for my money anyway, one of our most convincing backbones of our faith.

Remind me, Lord, when I am afraid, that in the midst of fear that you love is that which I can cling to and be assured of, and that you can turn my fear into something amazing. Amen.