When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark 16:1-8 NIV
What might I do if I were to hear that someone I had loved and lost in death were walking among the living again? The prospect of seeing them again, the chance to continue our relationship and do all the things for which we had previously run out of time – these things would certainly feel overwhelming to me. But that may only be a fraction of what Mary Magdalene and the other women who discovered the empty tomb felt that day.
The text says they were “bewildered” or filled with “awe.” Certain moments in my life have filled me with awe. Standing before the waterfalls at Yellowstone, hearing the thunder of Niagara Falls, or taking in the vastness of the Grand Canyon – I have experienced all of these in person and felt both the intellectual and emotional impression in these spaces. But there is another kind of awe that I carry in my heart – one that goes beyond creation and points directly to the Creator.
Reading this passage in Mark 16 makes me reflect on how God makes all these things possible. God has the awesome power that could bring back to us that which we miss with great longing. God is able to do what seemed impossible, such as raising the dead. God even sent angels to tell the people visiting Jesus’ tomb to not have fear, and to explain what happened, showing concern for their heartache and knowing that they would want to intercept him quickly. This all reflects a Creator full of generosity and compassion, but also one with great power. This is an awe-inspiring God.
The women who went to the tomb that morning did not even know if they could physically move the stone out of the way and get access, but they went anyway knowing they would do everything they could. This reminds me that we will often not know what kind of obstacles we are facing. Many times, we feel like we have to have a plan before we act. But the example of these women shows me that having the right attitude and outlook is the first step, even if the means to accomplish a task are not readily available.
In the text, the women were overcome with emotion. They were afraid. Normally being emotional is viewed negatively but in this case, I think their display of emotion can serve as a model. Learning the Bible and learning to love God more and more is not just an intellectual exercise. The heart should be very involved. Even when it comes to emotions viewed as “negative,” like fear, anger, and sadness, they are important messengers and cannot be ignored. When our hearts and minds are moving together, without denying the other, they can become very strong allies that eventually move us to faith-based action.
As I sit with this passage, “trembling and awe” becomes more than a description – it becomes an invitation. It invites me to recognize a God who is both powerful and compassionate, and to respond not only with understanding, but with a heart willing to move forward, even when the path ahead is not yet clear.
Vy Cao is an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction and Director of CTC Liaison and Assessment in the School of Education at La Sierra University.