Jamaica we are known for its ability to break records not only in violence but also in the athletic world. We have the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt. legendary Bob Marly was known for his athletic spirit every morning in his house along old hope road and we also have the “Pocket Rocket” – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce second fastest woman in history. 

I did ask one of my students if they participate in champs that took place few weeks ago and their response was, “Sir, I do not run on the field, I am sure I run people mad”

In today’s gospel, the word run was mentioned twice 

1. On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,…
2. So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial clothes there, but did not go in.

Our world is not only one big running stadium, but also one big waiting room. As the other disciple waited in front of the entrance of the tomb, Peter went inside to bend and look at the clothes Jesus laid on. Where do we fall …..

Like Mary, we may be running to tell that the stone was moved or like Peter and other disciples we may be running because we want to witness for ourselves if He’s truly risen. 

Each one of us is running to deal with errands. From bed to shower to grabbing coffee, to the supermarket then passing to collect dogs and bird food….we all know how our days go. The question remains when it comes to your spiritual life, where are you running to, and how to speed do you turn to God for help? Or do you turn to Him when everything else fails. 

Most of our days are, in fact, times of running from one place to another. As much as we are in an instant world many times we have to learn not only to run but also to wait, as the disciples waited during Holy Saturday. 

Just as we all wait. Waiting to get into a good school. Waiting to meet the right person. Waiting to get pregnant. Waiting to get a job. Waiting for a diagnosis from the doctor. Waiting for things at work to improve. Waiting for the results of our physical therapy to help us feel better. Waiting for a relationship to improve. And to tell the truth, some of us are waiting for mass to finish so we can go about our business. Go to the beach or have a nice time at backyard.

So we should wait for the lord

Do we also wait to meet our Lord? Or we live our lives as if there is no tomorrow. 

Most of our lives are spent on Holy Saturday. In other words, most of our days are not filled with the unbearable pain of a Good Friday. Nor are they filled to the full with the unbelievable joy of an Easter. Some days are indeed times of great pain and some are of great joy, but most are…in between.

Whichever way you want to be, running like Peter and other disciple or being like Mary Magdalene whos recorded to have visited the tomb. Or the other disciples who waited in fear locked in the upper room. Let your waiting be filled with hopeful grace. 

There is, for example, the wait of despair. Here we know—at least we think we know—that things could never get better, that God could never do anything with our situations. Nothing will, or could, ever change. We can also have a “running” of despair, running and running without goals, running to just run aimlessly, running to distract ourselves from what is really real and true.

The despair waiting may be the kind of waiting for that forced the fearful disciples to hide behind closed doors on Holy Saturday, cowering in terror. Of course, they could be forgiven. After Jesus was executed they were probably in danger of being rounded up and executed by the Roman authorities. 

As much as women proved themselves better friends of Jesus than men during the passion, Peter and other disciples still proved their love for their Lord. Their running was not run out of despair but a run to find their Lord and savior. 

Today the readings invite us to wait as Christians, wait hopefully. Because while everything may disappoint, hope will not Romans 5:5. Let our waiting be an active waiting, like Mary Magdala and other women, be out there looking for the Lord, like Peter and other disciple, run … run … but do not run out of despair and bitterness but run to where you left your Lord. That place where you find peace of the Lord. 

Even in the worst of situations, even in the darkest times, wait hopefully for our God is powerfully at work, even if we cannot see it clearly right now. The disciples’ fear after Good Friday was understandable. But we, who know how the story turned out, who know that Jesus will rise from the dead, who know that God is with us, who know that nothing is impossible for God, are called to wait in faithful hope. And to look carefully for signs of the new life that are always right around the corner—to look, just like a few of the disciples were doing on Holy Saturday, and believe He will manifest himself to u.

If only today you can run out there and tell those you encounter what the lord had done in your life. 

If only today we could calm down, seat down and wait patiently and actively for the Lord.

In whichever way you choose to celebrate your Easter season. Running or waiting ….. the word of God reminds us….. 

1. Do not be afraid 

• After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it…..Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid….
• Fear is the biggest enemy in our world today, especially fear of being a truly authentic Christian. 

Many of us will not come to church next Sunday, or our relatives, our children, our neighbors, and our friends will be participating at Carnivore. 

We fear to remind them, it is mercy Sunday come let’s go and worship, we prefer them to go out there and dance soca. 

2. Seek Jesus 

• I know that you are seeking Jesus the Crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’

3. Tell of Jesus 

• Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”