Today’s Reading is Matthew 28:1-20.
It contains three pericopes:
Verses 1-10 The Women and the empty tomb
All four gospels agree in their emphasis upon the event taking place on the first day of the week and that those who found the tomb empty were women, all give prominence to “Mary” and attention to the stone that had closed the tomb. They do not appear to agree on the time at which the women visited the tomb, the number and identity of the women, the purpose of their visit, the nature and appearance of the messenger(s), whether angelic or human, their message to the women and the response of the women to the visitor in the tomb. (from wikipedia)
Verses 11-15 The bribing of the guards
This strange episode deals with the fact that resurrection is incomprehensible. Something similar happens in the other gospels:
Mark 16:12-13 Jesus appears to two disciples
Luke 24:13-35 Jesus walks to Emmaus
John 20:24-29 Doubting Thomas needs to see
Well, relating to the mystery of Easter takes a leap of faith, the bribe is not a sufficient explanation and there really is no way the human mind could wrap around this bigger-than-death concept.
Verse 16-20 The Great Commission
Here again is that leap of faith: Baptize all people first, then secondly teach them!
Faith only works from a perspective of: What have I gotten myself into now.
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