Empty Tombs

One of my favorite spiritual writers is Ronald Rohlheiser.  In 2015 he puplished a wonderful little book entitled: The Passion and the Cross.  In the final chapter, he described an Easter card he received.  On the cover it simply said: Happy Easter.  But inside the card was this thought-provoking sentence: “May you leave behind you a string of empty tombs.”

I’m still wrestling with that sentence.  I think it means that just as our resurrected Lord left behind a tomb that was empty of death, so should we leave behind whatever deadens us, since we have also died and risen with Christ in our baptisms.

Think about this.  Inside of our hearts there can be little crevices filled with harsh judgments, or feelings of anger over a past hurt, or a hidden jealousy.  Maybe we still harbor a resentment or some prejudice against another person or a group of people, or a feeling of shame about something of which we have never spoken.   

If the forgiveness of the Risen Christ is truly in us, if the joy, peace and hope of the Risen Christ fills us up, then those crevices, harbours and tombs will be empty.   

Name something entombed in your heart, from which you’d like to be freed.