3 April, Saturday — Getting out of my tomb

Holy Saturday — Gospel

Mark 16:1-7

He has risen, He is not here.

A year ago, I painted a scene from today’s gospel reading. It was week 2 into Singapore’s lock down – the circuit breaker. Looking back, that period was tough; a difficult time in human history. Being stuck at home was like being in a tomb. Okay, perhaps it’s an exaggeration, but it felt like it. When finally completed, the painting in my opinion wasn’t one of my better pieces. It had all the elements of what’s in the scripture verse, but somehow it lacked depth — devoid of emotion. I think it reflected the way I felt at the time. I was trying so hard to lift my spirits and prepare my interior self to ‘come out of the tomb’ to celebrate Easter. But Easter 2020, was stripped of joyousness. No Easter Vigil, no Easter Sunday mass, no gatherings. By Easter, I was still stuck in the tomb.

“Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” the question the women asked on the way to Jesus’ tomb. On reflecting, this was the question I asked. Who’s going to get me out of this tomb? Not that the stone was still there, it had long been ‘rolled away’. It was me being too caught up in a myriad of my own ‘stuff’ to notice it.

Brothers and sisters, have you too been so consumed with the busyness of life and its stresses? Are you worried about finding a job to put food on the table? Are you anxious, awaiting the results of your medical test? Are you struggling to cope with work and assignments? Are you facing a crisis you cannot solve? Have you been so bogged down (like I was) to notice that Jesus has already removed the heavy rock that blocks our way to Him? He knows our heart and hears our cry. Don’t sit in our tombs of darkness, fear and anxiety.

See the Angel sitting so resplendent on the tomb, telling us “he has risen, he is not here.’

Run on my brothers and sisters. Let’s be on our way to seek Him. ‘He is going before you to Galilee, it is there you will see him.” Jesus did not remain in the tomb. He is risen. Hallelujah, He is alive!

(Today’s OXYGEN by Geraldine Nah)

Prayer: Creator Lord, Risen Lord. You call us from darkness and bring us into the light of Easter. We rejoice in your resurrection and life. Come, Lord Jesus!

Thanksgiving: Thank you Jesus, for removing the rocks that stand in our way, preventing us from seeing you. Thank you Jesus, for being with us, going before us and meeting us where we are.