Leaving Loose Ends Untied.

An Arab chief once told a story of a spy who was captured and then sentenced to death by a general in the Persian army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and the ‘big, black door.’ As the moment for execution drew near, the spy was brought to the Persian general, who asked the question, “What will it be: the firing squad or the big, black door?”The spy hesitated for a long time. It was a difficult decision. Finally, after much fearful deliberation he chose the firing squad.Moments later shots rang out confirming his execution. The general turned to his aide and said, “They always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet, we gave him a choice.”The aide said, “What lies beyond the big black door?”“Freedom,” replied the general. “But very few people have the courage to dare and risk opening that door, much less walk through it’s portal.”

Fear of the unknown; that is what we find on this glorious Easter morning. Mark’s account of the resurrection is one that makes us all some what uncomfortable and uneasy. After sixteen chapters Mark simply leaves us with the women running as fast as they can to escape the empty tomb (and of course an angelic encounter!). His Gospel narrative leaves us in desperate need of closure. The last thing we actually see are the women high-tailing it out of the garden in great fear. I don’t think they had any problem in choosing the door over the firing squad (metaphorically speaking). They ran as fast as they could back into their own comfort zones and the comfortable reality it provided them. After all, someone or something had moved that giant stone from the entrance into the tomb and Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found. The removal of the body must have been devastating enough for Jesus’ friends, not to mention all of the mystery surrounding that early morning encounter.

But what if the women had found Jesus’ body in the tomb? What if every thing had worked out nice and neat the way they expected? What if there was no shocking surprise or heavenly encounter? What if there was no risk involved and every thing went as planned? What if there were no choices to make beyond (say) what spices to anoint Jesus’ corpse; or no decisions beyond how to remove the stone from the entrance? If every thing had gone as expected for the three women on that first Easter morning; if they had found their closure by anointing the body of Jesus; and if they had tied up all of their loose ends - we wouldn’t be here today. Mark, the brilliant and inspired evangelist he was – intentionally left the Gospel ending open and loose ends untied.

Many of us like to have everything wrapped up nice and tidy in an orderly and explainable fashion. But guess what? That is not the nature of God and it is certainly isn’t characteristic of a life in Christ! God sent the women to tell the disciple’s of Jesus’ resurrection, without even giving them even the tiniest glimpse of the risen Lord! Mark leaves us wondering if they metaphorically chose the firing squad or the big black door; because the evangelist tells us they ran away in fear and said nothing (Nothing) to anyone. The greatest event in creation occurs (the Resurrection) and fear, doubt and ambiguity appear to win out; or do they?

The angel told the women that Jesus had risen and already gone to Galilee. The disciples and followers of Christ would certainly encounter him there. In the end, God’s grace will always transcend our faithlessness. In the end, God’s love will always overcome our fear. And in the end, God’s triumph of life eternal will always conquer death. Nevertheless, the choice of what kind of life we choose to lead is important to our quality of faith and spirituality.

We like to know what is coming next in life - don’t we? Most of us don’t care for surprises. We aren’t about to choose “the big black door” if we are afraid. It is amazing that we will choose self- destructive and sometimes deadly paths even though we know they are roads to nowhere; but in a sick manner, we at least can rationalize and are content with the certain knowledge of where they lead!

Often when confronted with such choices in life we find ourselves frozen in fear and indecisive. It’s a difficult and unfortunate position when we stand with one foot in yesterday and another in tomorrow. In the words of one theologian, “We crucify ourselves between two thieves: on the one side is regret for yesterday, and on the other is fear of tomorrow;” - two thieves that rob our lives of so much joy. That is one wretched place to exist my dear friends. A life of fear is one of sorrow, resentment and much regret. Yet its our choice isn’t it?

For one moment I ask us to think about those fear filled times in our lives; think back on the joy as well as opportunities that fear has caused us to miss. Touch those wounds received by life. Feel the ridges and contours of those bitter scars. In the light of the resurrection, are we willing to risk opening our hearts just a little, even though every fiber of our being rails against the hurt that could take place in that vulnerable moment? The resurrection gives us another chance at living life to its fullest potential without the overwhelming and daunting fear. Jesus rose from the grave and bought for us with his own precious blood a renewed hope and new shot at life. The risen Lord beacons to us - leave behind those consuming fears, rejoice in the power of God’s redeeming love, and don’t worry about what we don’t or can’t see (untied, loose ends). Freedom despite life’s uncertainties is what the resurrection in Mark’s Gospel is all about – freedom; freedom to embrace what lies in the unknown without worry or stress. Christ is calling us on this glorious Easter morn to walk with him down a path named – Faith. It is faith that leads to truth and it is the truth (as Jesus tells us) that will set us free.

So Mark reminds us that a life in Christ Jesus is one that thrives in the gray areas of life and embraces the unknown. True spiritual growth only occurs in the ambiguity of risk and the acceptance of change. Spiritual maturity occurs when we faithfully step through the big black door, even though we know not what awaits us behind its mystery. But by stepping through the door of faith and embracing the risen Christ we can let go of our regrets of yesterday, as well as those phantom fears of tomorrow. We can then live my sisters and brothers- truly live! We can live a full life (with all of its challenges) with faith, joy and hope in the present!

Today Christ has risen!!! Today we have a renewed hope, a new covenant with God and an assurance of freedom from the bondage of sin and death. Today, we are bathed in the glowing light of the resurrection and brought through that mysterious door that leads to eternal life