It Ain't Over!

She came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ~ John 20:2-9

Unfortunately, we as Christians too often forget that Easter isn't just a day. It's a season of 50 days! Here we are, only at the halfway point with so much celebrating and understanding ahead of us.

This year, for the first time, I noticed how much attention was given to those darn burial linens during the Gospel account of Christ's Resurrection. I know I've heard it before but I never really thought twice about it until this year. But I didn't understand or have a reason as to why so I quickly forgot.

About 2 weeks after Easter Sunday, I was walking down the hallway at church and noticed an informative flyer on the wall that explained exactly what I had been wondering about.

As with so many other mysteries like this, most things become clear when one is made privy to Hebrew traditions that were so commonplace for the people of the time. As it turns out, when a master got up from the table, he sent a message to his servant by how he placed his napkin. If he wadded it up, it was a signal that he was done and that the servant could clear the table. However, if the master folded his napkin neatly and placed it beside his plate, it meant that he was not finished.

By folding his burial linens, Christ sent his disciples a clear message: I'm coming back.

Alleluia! He is risen!

Keep It Real!