Sunday, April 12, 2009 by Jay T.

Easter morning

I notice John the gospel writer offering four choices for how we can approach the tomb and come to understand the resurrection.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, ………….. the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed………..Then the disciples returned to their homes.But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, `Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, `They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, `Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, `Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, `Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, `Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, `Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ‘  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, `I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

We can stand outside the door, see the stone removed and know there is something worth telling others about.  Mary did this the first time she came to the tomb.

We can hurry to the door, bend down, look in the tomb and see linen, but no body.  The other disciple did this.  He later went in after his friend, saw and believed. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 by Jay T.

We passed on to Manoquacy, Fairfax, Hopewell, and Shanando, and had meetings, some of which were comfortable and edifying.

Just some?  I wonder about the others.

“…comfortable and edifying…”  That’s an interesting phrase.  My meeting is doing some threshing and visioning lately.  We’re trying to find out what manner of gathering we want and are led to be.

There’s often a choice laid in front of us between comfort and challenge.  Do we come to a fellowship to be with those we identify with to be comfortable?  Or do we seek a measure of “spiritual dissonance,” so we can be challenged to grow?  What measure of challenge and dissonance?

….we……made a general visit to the meetings of Friends on the western shore of Maryland…….. 

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Wednesday, April 1, 2009 by Jay T.

John, the first time I read through the second chapter of your Journal (1743–1748), I didn’t have much reply.  My own state of heart was pretty barren.  On this second time through, I’m finding some reflections in my own life.

I had a great regard for him, and felt a strong inclination, after matters were settled, to speak to him concerning his conduct in that case; but being a youth, and he far advanced in age and experience, my way appeared difficult; after some days’ deliberation, and inward seeking to the Lord for assistance, I was made subject, so that I expressed what lay upon me in a way which became my youth and his years; and though it was a hard task to me it was well taken, and I believe was useful to us both.

That’s an experience I have had, though less and less as I age.  I’ve heard it referred to as “youngering.”  Sometimes, those who have less status or fewer years have a clear role in reminding their elders of the Guide and principles that they profess to live by. Read the rest of this entry »

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