The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.’” v. 5
Luke 24:1-6
In many cultures when death occurs, it’s the women who seem to know what to do. While men lament the loss, the women take charge of the body and get things ready for burial or cremation. Such was the case when Jesus died. God only knows what the male disciples were doing on that Saturday, but the women were already making plans to do what they’d been unable to do when Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross. First thing on Sunday morning, they told each other, they’d go to the tomb with spices and do what their tradition prescribed.
It’s nice to have people around who know what to do when death occurs. And it’s even better to have a plan! Often, in our death-denying culture death throws people into a panic, and people are forced into making decisions that they’ve mostly avoided thinking about. Blessed are those families who have a plan and who know what phone calls to make and what needs to be done. The death of a loved one can be an opportunity for family and friends to come together in love and unity. It’s a time for shared memories and maybe even a few laughs. And we do it best when we trust that the words of the angel are true. “He is not here, but has risen.”
Thought for the Day: What plans have I made for my death?
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