The Gardener of the New Creation: A Journey Through the Empty TombThere is so much happening in the Easter Gospel that we have to journey through it carefully. If we rush, we might miss the quiet, wonderful messages tucked within the folds of the story.The opening line of John’s Gospel sets the stage: “Early on the first day while it was still dark…”The Miracle in the ShadowsI wonder, does it seem strange to you that God chose to perform His most amazing, world-changing work in the dark? Before the first light of day. Before anyone could see anything, let alone witness the resurrection. Before any human hand or faith could claim involvement.In a world obsessed with the "photo op" and the "media opportunity," God went about this world-shattering work in the quiet and the dark. Somewhere on the edge of a sleeping city, in a garden with a tomb, the heavy stone was rolled away.The tomb was empty. And it was just waiting for someone to discover it.Clues in the LinenWhen the disciples arrived, they found the linen grave wrappings and the cloth that had covered Jesus’ face. To the casual observer, it might look like a mess left behind. But the details are incredible:The Unblemished Lamb: In Jewish custom, a lamb for sacrifice was wrapped to protect it from blemish. Think back to Christmas, Jesus was wrapped in cloths in a manger. Think of Good Friday, Pilate said, "I find no fault with this man." Jesus is the unblemished sacrificial lamb, and the grave clothes remind us of His purity.The Folded Napkin: The cloth from Jesus' face was folded neatly in a separate place. In Jewish custom, if a master at a meal screwed up his napkin, he was finished. But if he folded it, it meant he was not finished and would return.The message was hidden in plain sight: Jesus is not finished. He will return.The Power of "Turning"The act of "turning" is the key action in this story, and the key to all Christian discipleship. Mary Magdalene turns three times in this passage, and each turn brings her closer to the truth.Initially, Mary assumes the body has been stolen. She is weeping, exhausted, and traumatised. When she turns away from the tomb, she sees a man she believes to be the gardener. There is a deep irony here. In one sense, she was right.Think about the imagery John is using:They are in a Garden (Recalling the Garden of Eden).It is the morning of the first day (Recalling Genesis and Creation).Jesus is the New Adam, the Gardener of a New Creation.Just as the first Adam named the animals, Jesus begins this new creation by naming His: "Mary." With that one word, she turns for a third time in joyful recognition.Our Own JourneyLike Mary, we all have a journey to make. We must come to this place, bend down, and look into the place of death only to find it empty and defeated.As Christians, we believe death has no hold over us. But the looking isn't enough; we must also turn. We turn towards Jesus as a new beginning. This is the heart of our faith and the core of our baptismal vows:"I turn to Christ."The wonderful thing is this: when we finally make that turn, we realise He is already there, waiting to greet us.He is risen indeed. Alleluia!Fr Martin
The Greatest Miracle of Good Friday: The One That Didn't HappenPart of the work of a Priest is to illuminate the Gospels, to shed new light on ancient truths. We are tasked with engaging deeply with the Scriptures to find that one spark that might point someone toward Jesus; something that might fundamentally reshape a listener's week, their month, or their entire life.But I will be honest with you: one of the greatest challenges a Priest faces is doing justice to God’s Holy Word. Some weeks, the words flow like a river. Other times, it takes hours of prayer, preparation, and the heavy lifting of the Holy Spirit to craft a message that honours the weight of the Gospel.Sometimes, it takes a miracle just to find the right words. And as I reflected on the Passion reading this year, I realised that miracles,or rather, the lack of them, are exactly what makes this day so significant.An Ominous SilenceOn that first Good Friday, the crowd gathered at the foot of the Cross expected a miracle. They dared Jesus to step down, to save Himself, to prove His power. And yet... there was an astonishing absence of the supernatural.Think of what we might have anticipated based on the rest of Jesus' ministry:The Angels: The heavenly hosts who tended to the Lord in the wilderness were conspicuous by their absence. They kept their distance.The Father’s Voice: The God who spoke with clarity and authority at the Baptism and the Transfiguration remained ominously silent.The Power over Nature: The ability to walk on water, calm the storms, and reverse the course of death was suddenly, jarringly, suspended.The Miracle of RestraintI believe the true miracle of Good Friday is that there were no miracles.Jesus hung there, wholly capable of rescuing Himself. He had the power to end the agony, to call down legions of angels, and to step off those nails. But He chose not to. He deliberately relinquished His privileges, His power, and His position. He clung to that Cross until He could finally say, "It is finished," and draw His final breath.The miracle was His restraint. He stayed there for you and for me, so that we would never have to pay the price for our own sins.A Love of OneI have said this before, and I will continue to say it until it truly sinks into our hearts: Even if you were the only person on this planet, Jesus would have still gone to the Cross for you. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you unconditionally. He didn't stay on the Cross for a nameless "humanity", He stayed there for you.The stillness of Good Friday was not a sign of defeat; it was the ultimate act of love. The power was suspended so that the grace could be extended.And as we wait in the quiet of the tomb, we remember: the silence only lasted for a moment. Three days later, the miracles began again.Amen.
The View From Below: Lessons from India and a Basin of WaterTracey and I recently returned from an incredible trip to India. It was a life-changing experience, but if I’m being honest, one of the most persistent memories I have is of the dirt and dust.Everything was dry, dirty, and smelly. We spent most of our time in sandals, and by the end of each day, our feet were… well, you can imagine. All we wanted was the simple grace of a cold shower and a good scrub to get that grime off.In the ancient world, this wasn't just a matter of comfort; it was a necessity. When you arrived at a home, washing your feet was a sign of respect and welcome. But it was also a "hands-on" job reserved for the lowest of the low, the servant at the bottom of the pecking order.It is into this specific, gritty setting that we find Jesus in John 13, picking up a towel and a basin.A Shadow Over the TableIt’s easy to imagine the Last Supper as a serene, stained-glass moment. But if you had walked into that room, you would have felt the tension. The atmosphere was off.John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus knew "his hour had come." In John, "the hour" always points to the Cross. Everything, the betrayals, the politics, the divine timing, was coming to a head. Even Judas was sitting there, the shadows already lengthening around him.In the middle of this heavy, high-stakes atmosphere, Jesus does something completely unexpected.The Power of "Laying Aside"The text says Jesus "laid aside" his outer robes. In the original Greek, the word is tithemi. It means more than just taking off a jacket; it means to set something down or lay it aside.It’s the same word Jesus uses when He speaks of the Good Shepherd who "lays down" (tithemi) His life for the sheep.Think about that for a second. By laying aside His robes to wash feet, Jesus was acting out the story of His entire life:The Eternal One laid aside His heavenly glory.He emptied Himself and took the form of a slave.He revealed what the life of the Trinity actually looks like: a circle of humble, self-giving love with no pecking order.Loving the "Dirty Parts"While the disciples were busy arguing about who was the "Greatest of All Time," Jesus was looking at their feet.Washing someone's feet is intimate and, frankly, a bit awkward. It requires you to look at the "dirty parts" of someone’s life. This tells us something vital about God: Jesus doesn’t just love humanity in the abstract. He loves us in our literal mess.He loves us beneath our dignity. He loves us in the things we’re glad even our best friends can’t see.The Peter ProblemPeter, predictably, is the "king of all or nothing." First, he refuses to let Jesus touch his feet (it's too humiliating!). Then, when he realises he needs Jesus, he asks for a full bath: "Tip the lot over me!"But Jesus isn't looking for grand, heroic gestures. He is looking for followers who are willing to be served by Him and, in turn, serve others in the ordinary, dusty moments of daily life.No Other WayIf we want to see Jesus today, we shouldn't just look up at inspiring words or high ideals. We have to look down. Jesus is found beneath our self-respect and our status. He is there, pouring water into a bowl, washing the feet of the man who would deny Him (Peter) and the man who would betray Him (Judas). His love isn't based on our performance; it's based on His character.What does this mean for us this Holy week?Service is not beneath you: If the Lord of the Universe picked up a towel, no task is too small for us.Grace is messy: Following Jesus means getting our hands dirty in the lives of others.The blessing is in the doing: Jesus ends this scene by saying, "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."There is no other way than the way of Jesus. It is the way of the basin, the towel, and the cross, and it is the only way that leads to life.Fr Martin
Join us at St Anne's to walk the journey of Holy week together.Sunday 2nd 10.15am Palm Sunday Family Service with ProcessionMonday 3rd 7pm ComplineTuesday 4th 7pm ComplineWednesday 5th 7pm ComplineThursday 6th 7pm Maundy Thursday LiturgyFriday 7th 2pm Liturgy of Good FridaySunday 8th 10.30am Easter Day Eucharist
