The Easter Blessing: Telling the whole truth
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? "
Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." John 20:13-14
Telling the whole truth. It is the only way to be whole. Holy Week and Easter show us the way.
From the beginning of Maundy Thursday through Easter Day, I was struck by how Jesus tells his truth. Then, in turn, the disciples are asked to tell their truths. This truth telling continues through Eastertide. For Jesus' followers, it all begins with Mary Magdelane at the tomb.
In order to move from grief to joy, it is important that we share our grief aloud. Mary is asked twice--by the angels and then by Jesus himself--WHY she is weeping. Before she can turn to Easter joy and witness to her Lord's resurrection, she must unburden her heart from her worry and grief. Jesus knows this.
In his book God has a Dream, Desmond Tutu notes that human beings need to tell their stories of suffering in order to be whole. Nations need to tell their stories of suffering in order to be whole. What is true for post-apartheid South Africa is true for us. Tutu says that using the phrase "Oh, let's just let bygones be bygones," destines us to learn that bygones never be begones. That suffering will just go underground to continue to live and grow in our psyche and the psyche of a country.
Of course, we so often don't tell the truth in order to spare another pain and hardship. But that often backfires. Folks--especially folks that are children--know when something isn't right. When the truth is not plain, we all try to insert our own assumptions into that space. Again, keeping silent so as to keep the peace or avoid pain often leads to more hardship and suffering.
Each Eastertide presents the opportunity to tell a truth about our lives and our world that needs to be told. What truth is God calling you to tell this Eastertide? What truth will set you free?
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