Take time to reflect

An Anglican priest wants Barbadians to remember that experiencing light in their lives is not a one-off or sudden event, but rather a transition that takes time and reflection.

Rector of St. George Parish Church, Reverend John Rogers, reminded his congregation as he delivered yesterday’s special Easter Sunday message that at some point in their lives they will encounter empty tombs and will always face the temptation of finding an alternative to get around it.

However, Reverend Rogers assured the packed church that Mary Magdalene, who is mentioned in all four gospels as a witness of the crucifixion and empty tomb, is a true example that “we can confront the empty tomb, seek and experience the risen Christ in our lives”.

“And John may be also telling us the value of women in our society because whereas the men came and left, it was the woman who stayed. I am sure all of us have encountered shopping with a woman where she goes through everything and seeks out the best possible deal, whereas men would go to the supermarket and just pick up the first thing.

“Though that is a simple example, it speaks to the intuition of women and why we need to protect our little girls in the society, so that they can be nurtured to fulfil their role that God has given them in this world,” Reverend Rogers preached.

The Reverend also noted that though the writers of the gospel delivered different perspectives on the same issue, Christians do not read the gospels as historical fact, but as truths that they were seeking to convey.

“So in the resurrection story, though for example John may have Mary Magdalene going to the tomb, while other gospels may have several women and in John Mary Magdalene is the one who sees Jesus at the tomb, while the others meet him elsewhere, the underlying message of the gospel is that Jesus is risen and through his resurrection, we can have light and life. Jesus transformed situations of despair to situations of joy and he transforms darkness to light,” he said.
(AH)