I recently went to Israel and Palestine, to listen to people’s stories of reconciliation and to visit ancient sites. When we arrived in Jerusalem, we were dropped off at the Mount of Olives, and walked down it, visiting the different churches along the way.
The Dominus Flevit church stuck out, marking where Jesus wept over the future of Jerusalem. On its altar, it has a mosaic depicting a hen and some chicks, with these words of Jesus around the side: ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I wanted to gather your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing’. It’s been a favourite image of God of mine for a while.
In our Gospel reading from John today, we read of Mary crying outside Jesus’ tomb. After the two angels sitting inside have asked her why she’s crying, now the mystery gardener asks the same thing. Saying her name is enough for the beautiful act of recognition to begin.
Presumably her tears are still flowing. This could be a great moment for Jesus to take up his mother hen mantle and gather Mary up under his wings. But he says, don’t cling on/ touch /hang on to me, and gives her a new instruction- to tell his brothers. She becomes the messenger of God she encounters at the beginning; she gets to be the one that says, ‘I have seen the Lord’.
This Easter day, where we had been hoping that Jesus would be x, y or z for us, may we be open to encounter the God of surprises.
Georgie Illingworth
