Yes, yes, dear readers I know that the days have passed and I have not written. You would think that the fertile time of Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter would have provided lots of opportunity for writing but alas, nothing profound came to me to put on my blog. Until today! I’ve been ruminating. Simple words and comments often have big impact.
On Sunday morning, during our “Faith Trek” time with the kids (in some places they still call this Sunday School but many churches, like ours, have come up with catchy names to avoid the S word i.e. school) we talked and talked about the Easter story. We had Easter eggs and we read and told the story of the women coming to the tomb to anoint the body only to find it empty. We were using a kid-friendly version of the story. The language was a little simpler but the concept still mystifying. It said the angels were dressed in “shiny clothes”. It said the women ran and told the disciples that they heard that Jesus was risen. IT said the disciples responded, “Nonsense.”
After some games and a few more chocolate eggs I asked each child what was his or her favourite part of the Easter story. Some said it was that the tomb was empty. Some said the part that said Jesus was alive. Some said that they especially liked the part about the angels and their “shiny clothes”. The last child I asked said. “I liked the word, ‘Nonsense.” Well, that cracked me up. Yes, indeed, what could be a better word, or a more lasting word, when reconciling the Easter story than the word, “Nonsense.” For it does feel like nonsense to many and yet it is a story that changed the world.
I love that Easter story and that the followers of Jesus were mystified by what had happened to their friend and mentor. Even though they believed great things about him they were still stunned and disbelieving when it all happened. I find that in my own faith walk. I have faith but often in the midst of crisis or challenge I cannot believe that God is working things out in my actions and my words. It is often only after the fact and when I look back I can see that the Spirit was in the midst of all that was happening and that goodness was working its way through my faltering stumbling activity.
What seemed like nonsense became the foundation for the followers of Jesus and they began a way of belief and pattern of life that has impacted the world for 2000 years. It may have felt like nonsense at the time but it has come to be a truth to live by.
