Still Dark in the Sepulchre

While it was still dark, we made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre again early this morning. I’m left with an impression of jutting out pillared platforms and high arches, balconies and walkways webbed from place to place. It was cold- we could see our breath in one part of the church. A very somber and ancient place- and massive. Mt. Calvary is in one part, and the Holy Sepulchre in another.

I found myself in a dim grey light coming from a glass cupola crowning the domed atrium, hundreds of feet above me. It’s a bit like looking up from the bottom of an immense well, with encircling walkways half hidden behind arches the whole way up. In the center sits a squarish edifice probably three stories tall at the top of its dome, but dwarfed by the vast space where it rests. In this chapel is the sepulchre itself. At the time of Christ this would have been the garden where Mary Magdalene came ‘while it was still dark.’ The city gate and Mt. Calvary would have been within view (Mt. Calvary was part of a stone quarry at the time).

In the sepulchre lies the stone slab that Jesus’ body was placed upon. Here Peter and John saw Jesus' burial cloths lying. Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb after the others left- she stooped to look into the tomb; the stone had been rolled aside. She saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "woman, why are you weeping?"
-"Because they've taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they've lain Him." (She thought His body had been stolen)
Then she turned around, and saw Jesus standing.
She didn't recognize Him, until He said her name, "Mary..."

What an incredible moment! What would it have been like to see Jesus die: dear friend and Lord, teacher and brother- to prepare and lay His body in the tomb, to sit in vigil red eyed and weeping- then to see Him living again? Think of how amazing it will be when we die and, in hope, see again those we love who have gone before us! How much better will it be to finally see the face of Christ!? I wish I knew Christ like Mary Magdalene does, or John the Evangelist. I think if we knew ourselves and were able to see into our depths, we would find that that's all anyone every really desires.
Lord Jesus, come into our hearts- may we pick up our crosses and die with you so that we may too rise again- I pray you will relive in us your submission to the Father, and make yourself known in a powerful way to those back home on whose behalf I make this pilgrimage.

Mike