WOYWW: The Ancient Paths

 My table is rather small,

and it's always filled up with things 

I have to sweep away when I paint or draw.

Today is no different.

My sister Tina returned from Japan with a motley collection

of washi tapes for me.

I decided I better start using washi tapes 

for anything and everything!

 Started with wrapping up an old bottle. 1/100

Ha ha! #100daysproject  #The100DayProject on IG

"Why are you weeping?" John 20:13

After reading the four Gospels' accounts of the resurrection story, I find it a little hard to put it all together in one cohesive story.

But that is not surprising considering how sometimes there are so many versions of one story depending on who is telling it. What is different about the Gospel story is that women are the primary witnesses. During those times, woman could not even appear in court as credible witnesses, so if the Gospel story was just made up, as some believe, the writers would never have used women as witnesses.

In the 20th chapter of John, after Mary Magdalene had gone early to the tomb while it was still dark, and had seen that the stone had been rolled away, she ran quickly to Simon Peter and to John to tell them. Perhaps they hesitated, but they went. After seeing for themselves, that what she said was true, they went back to their homes. Isn't that strange? They did not try to investigate, they did not look for any signs around the tomb, they did not look for anyone to ask. They just left. They were still in their "fear" mode. They had assumptions about what happened, and did not want to interfere. Jesus, their leader was dead, they did not want to be connected to Him any longer.

But Mary, Mary wanted answers. She stayed. She did not want to leave until she had some clue to what happened. Aren't women like that? We can't let go. We like to solve things, until we sometimes become busybodies!!! But this time, Mary gets her reward. Jesus appears and asks why she is crying. And then she recognizes Him and she is filled with joy!

 Let us not be afraid to cry. Pope Francis said that sometimes tears are the lenses we need to see Jesus. Recalling the story of Mary Magdalene, the Pope said, “let us ask the Lord to give us the grace of tears — it’s a beautiful grace” — and ask for the grace “to be able to say with our lives, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ not because he appeared to me, but because I saw him with my heart.” Christian witness, he said, can be summarized as: “I live this way because I’ve seen the Lord.” (Homily about Forgiveness, April 2 at the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae)

"Were not our hearts burning inside us as He talked to us on the road and explained Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:32

If we could choose to be a participant at any of the bible stories, this would be one of my choices.  It is amazing to me that Jesus chooses to teach these two disciples, "interpreting for them EVERY passage of Scripture which referred to Him, beginning with Moses and all the prophets" (v.27).  

Who were these men? Were they important?  Were they going to be mighty evangelists? Were they going to write one of the Gospels?  We know that one of them is named Cleopas, and from early writings, a historian noted that Cleopas was a brother of Joseph, husband of Mary.  But there is nothing more. And nothing at all about the second man.  To me, the significant thing is that they were ordinary men. People like you and me.  They were leaving Jerusalem. Why?  Perhaps because it was too "hot " there for the disciples.  But Jesus joined them on their journey, and after He walked and talked with them, after He broke bread with them, they recognized Him, and they WENT BACK to Jerusalem.  

 It's a pity that they did not record anything of what Jesus said. It would have been fascinating, I am sure.  But I think we are supposed to go on a treasure hunt for those Scriptures that would point to Jesus.  If we do, our hearts will burn as well!  If it was all written down, it would just be ho hum, another lecture.  And Jesus did say something about not giving pearls to swine.  If we really seek, we will find.  We will find the treasures hidden in the Bible.  If we go through the journey from Genesis to the stories in the New Testament, we will find what Jesus thought was important for the two disciples to know. In Jeremiah 6:16, we can read: "This is what the Lord says: " Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."  Yes, if we travel the ancient paths, we will walk with Jesus, talk with Him, and break bread with Him. Our eyes will be opened, and we will really know Him.  I think that is what Jesus wants for all of us!

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Blessings!

Patsy