Mending Hope: The Power of Resurrection
John 20:1–18; John 21:4–24 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary goes to the tomb. That’s where the gospel writer wants us to begin. Not in celebration. Not in certainty. But in the dark. I can imagine that Mary is carrying everything that has been lost. And in her loss, she’s carrying the experience of the last few days. The violence. The grief. The disorientation of watching hope collapse in real time. When she arrives at her destination, even the place where she expected to grieve has changed. The stone is rolled away. The body is gone. It is not relief she feels—it is confusion. It is not hope—it is disruption. I think Mary’s experience matters. Because most of us don’t arrive at resurrection feeling triumphant. Like Mary, we arrive carrying things. Grief that hasn’t resolved. Questions that haven’t been answered. Parts of our lives that still feel unfinished or broken. Visible s...