– Written by Rev. Tambi Swiney
Although we tend to focus on rejoicing on Easter Sunday, the gospel narratives remind us that the first Easter Sunday was the culmination of three days of trauma, and trauma doesn’t simply evaporate. Three days prior to the discovery of the empty tomb, Jesus’ partners in ministry scattered in fear after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Afterwards, as Jesus predicted, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. Consumed by shame, Judas – Jesus’ betrayer – died by suicide. A small group of women who had supported Jesus throughout his ministry followed Jesus all the way to the cross, bearing witness to his brutal execution. From the cross, Jesus called out to his friend John, instructing him to care for his mother Mary, who watched in horror as her firstborn son took his last breath. Unforgettable, horrific images were seared into their minds.
On Easter Sunday, when the grieving women went to the tomb bearing spices to anoint Jesus’ body, they were still reeling from all they had witnessed. Can you imagine the range of emotions they must have felt when they arrived at the tomb to find the stone rolled away and the body of their beloved Christ missing? More trauma. The women were terrified when angels suddenly appeared and asked them, “Why do you search for the living among the dead? Jesus isn’t here! He has risen from the dead?” How could they possibly process all they were experiencing?
Meanwhile, the remaining 11 apostles were huddled behind a locked door, fearful that they would be the next ones to be executed. They, too, were traumatized by the loss of their teacher and friend; their dream for a new kingdom of God on earth had been shattered. When the women arrived to pass on the angelic message of Christ’s resurrection, the men did not believe their story because they thought it sounded like nonsense. How did the women feel then? Two of the disciples were curious enough to check out the women’s story and discovered for themselves that the tomb was indeed empty. How did the men feel then? Even after Jesus finally mysteriously appeared in that locked room and revealed the wounds in hands and his side, the disciples’ joy and relief was tempered by the trauma they had experienced.
Yesterday as I led the Easter worship service at TND in Nashville, I was mindful of the trauma and grief present in the midst of our rejoicing. One client was marking the one-year anniversary of the death of her partner. Several were grieving the loss of loved ones in recent months. Others were desperately missing their children; some took comfort knowing they would soon see their children again while others grappled with the grim reality that they have permanently lost custody.
With this in mind, let us focus our prayers this week on clients and staff who are grieving and wrestling with traumatic events:
- Those who are grieving the loss of loved ones
- Those who are grieving the separation from their children – either temporarily or permanently
- Those who are grieving missed opportunities, fractured relationships, and time lost due to addiction
- Those who are grieving the countless losses and absences and unrealized dreams due to COVID-19
- Those who have been traumatized by abuse
- Those who have been traumatized by racial bias, ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes
“Blessed be Abba God, the God of our Savior Jesus Christ, the Source of all mercies and the God of all consoling, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the same comforting God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:2-4
