WHEN THE SUN HAD RISEN THEY CAME TO THE TOMB

Rm 6,3-11; Ps 117; Mk 16,1-7
31 MARCH
Because of the sun by now almost gone and having the first lights of the evening appeared, as soon as Jesus was taken from the cross, they immediately had to think about putting him in the tomb. Almost all ritual customs have been skipped. “After the Sabbath, the day of absolute rest, Mary of Magdala, Mary mother of James and Salome bought aromatic oils to go to anoint him”. These women do not even think of the resurrection in the least, always announced by Jesus whenever he announced his bloody death. Jesus is in the grave and they go there to prepare his body to remain forever in it. The sepulchre for these women is the end of everything. Now all that remains is to give dignity to the body of Jesus. He might live in their heart, but he will certainly never come back to life. This is their thinking. Other ideas do not belong to them, not even by imagination. Before the sepulchre everything ends and everything made eternal in death.

Another concern of the women is the heavy stone that has been rolled to obstruct the door so that no one could enter. This fear immediately vanishes, because as soon as they got close they see that “the stone had already been rolled, although it was very large”. Something is out of the ordinary. But one could also think that someone preceded them, in order to facilitate their work. But everything changes when they enter the tomb and see “a young man, seated on the right, dressed in a white robe”. They know they are in front of a divine manifestation, or true theophany and for this reason they are afraid. In Scripture the Angels appear or manifest themselves to communicate news from the Lord. They are messengers of the Almighty. This is why they are afraid. What the Lord, their God will want to communicate? What to reveal? Even this thought is immediately clarified.

The Angels are there to reveal them the mystery: “Do not be afraid! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the crucifix. He is risen, he is not here. Here is the place where they had placed him”. The resurrection of Jesus is a true announcement. It is not an announcement by the voice of men, but by an Angelica voice. The whole mystery of Redemption begins with a proclamation of the Angel of the Lord. Zechariah, Mary and Joseph are visited by the Angel of the Lord. It is the Angel the one that reveals the mystery to them. Even the Pastors are visited by the Angel. They too know by revelation from above. This truth today should be resumed. The resurrection must be announced, even before being understood or explained. Every believer in Christ should be both an Angel and an empty tomb. As an Angel he announces the mystery, as an empty sepulchre he gives the sign that he has emptied himself and in his place he makes Christ the Lord live. Or rather he is an empty sepulchre because now the Risen One lives in him. If the Risen One does not live in the one who announces, the message will be devoid of the external signs necessary for faith. The women listen and see. The sepulcher is empty.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.'”

The Angel announces to women the event of the resurrection. He asks them to be in turn messengers and announcers of the mystery: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter: He precedes you in Galilee. There you will see him, as he told you”. The women believe for the announcement. But even the disciples must believe for the announcement of the women. Who is the announcement brought to the disciples by? By the women. At that , these did not have a word of testimony. Jesus chooses women precisely for the gift of faith in his mystery to his disciples. To the resurrection one comes from the deepest humility.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us announcers of the Risen One.