Holy Saturday retreat: Making sense of disquiet

For the disciples,
the experience of Easter
was a most disquieting one.

It was surprising, frightening,
but also –
and this was the emotion that endured – joyful.

The women were puzzled by the empty tomb,
its stone rolled away in time for their visit.
They were even more surprised
when an angel met them and sent them away
because Jesus was no longer there.

We have a tendency to identify disquiet with bad news:
After all, when else do we experience anxiety or at least,
a lack of peace, except in times of trouble?

But sometimes the best of news,
the most beautiful things that happen to us,
the events that make our hearts leap with joy
and our eyes fill inexplicably with tears,
cause some disquiet in our hearts.

Just remember Mary at the Annunciation;
inspite of the great news from the angel –
or perhaps precisely on account of it –
Mary, we are told, was troubled.

And this Easter morning, the women,
greeted by the angel with news of the resurrection,
rushed away afraid.

Sometimes
a sense of disquiet is but a sign
that we are not in control
because God is actively moving
in our lives.

Replica of Jesus' tomb image via Shutterstock