Follow Joy
The feelings attributed to Mary and Mary in today’s Gospel, after they encounter an angel in Jesus’ empty tomb, have long struck me: “fearful yet overjoyed.” I recall praying with this passage in 2017 when a good friend of mine (another Mary) nudged me into taking an interreligious studies class that ended with a trip to the Holy Land. Upon learning about the opportunity, I was fearful. Mary was overjoyed. I was intimidated by an experience that would challenge me personally and politically, so I convinced myself that there were people who were better suited for the trip. “I don’t even want to go,” I told myself. That was fear speaking, not God.
Mary’s excitement about the opportunity and her nudging invitations sparked something in me and eventually revealed a hopeful desire to take the class and go to Israel and Palestine, an experience that profoundly impacted me. I found Christ in the suffering, resilience, and beauty of the holy places and people we had the privilege of encountering. The joy of Jesus was present in the personal and communal growth of our class. We wept outside the tomb of Jesus, and danced on a boat on the sea of Galilee. We heard stories of faithful Palestinians and Israelis with bitter feelings toward one another, and a deep desire for justice and peace. Yes, there was challenge, but there was nothing to be afraid of.
In this Easter Monday Gospel, two friends and followers of Jesus might be afraid, but they act out of their joy. They respond by running to announce the news to Jesus’ followers. When we listen to Christ’s call, we will be stretched into situations that can feel scary. We might not think we are the messengers or movers God has chosen, but Jesus assures us that he will be with and empower us in all kinds of unexpected ways. If we listen to the joyful hope that beckons us, we find courage. Joy has a way of overcoming fear, moving us to run with excitement on the path where Jesus will meet us.
How can you listen to joy over fear in your life? What is your response? What companions has God brought into your life to accompany and encourage you to pursue the joy of Christ, Jesus?
Catherine Holcombe