The Women at the Tomb: The First Responders

May 7, 2020

Good afternoon,

" After the sabbath, as the first day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb."

  Matthew 28:1

" When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought         spices, so that they might go and anoint him. "  Mark 16:1

" Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other woman that were with      them, who told this [ the resurrection ]  to the apostles ."  Luke 24:10

" Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, and saw         that the stone had been removed from the tomb " John 20:1

All four Gospel writers mention that the first people at the tomb on the day of the resurrection were women. Some ran back to tell the male disciples what they had seen and not seen. The women were the first to declare that Jesus was alive, and they were the first evangelists. This kind of writing would have been shocking in first century Palestine. Women were second class people, and were considered to be property. For all the writers to have the women front and center in the ground shattering events surrounding the resurrection is important to listen to today.

Look at the women who have led their countries to strong responses to the pandemic, Jacinda Ardern from New Zealand, Angela Merkel from Germany, Tsai Ing-Wen from Taiwan, Katrin Jacoksdottier from Iceland , Erna Solberg from Norway, and Sanna Martin from Finland. It is said that women are more relational ,and this skill is important in times of disasters. The nations who are led by strong armed men, like USA, Brazil, Russia, China and England have had difficulty managing the pandemic in their countries.

Prayer for Today

Dear God

Thank you for the women in our lives,

for the nurses, the lawyers, the doctors,

custodians, prime ministers, grandmothers

daughters, sisters, students, teachers, farmers,

friends, church members , bankers, wives, cooks,

gardeners, supporters, lovers, counselors, PSWs,

entrepreneurs, mothers, poets, photographers, quilters,

sewers, retailers, artists, musicians, accountants …..

   and the many other ways that women have        shaped the

   kingdom

              of

                     God . Thanks be to God . AMEN.

Fred

Tread on bold new paths !

Fireflies flash the direction

Hope springs eternal           Monica Pieper Landoni 2020

Fred Redekop

Pastor

Poole Mennonite Church