John 20:1-9

In some ways this gospel is a difficult one for prayer. It only presents a part of the story and the full unfolding of the good news the story contains lies in the next part of the text. However, even with this section there is plenty of material for reflection and for prayer.

1. The disciples are in a state of shock and suffering from a traumatic loss. Jesus, the one in whom they had placed so much hope, has been murdered and buried. Then, before they have time to recover, comes another shock - the body of Jesus is missing. Have you had experiences in which one tragedy or crisis follows quickly after another? What was that like for you? How did you cope? What, or who, sustained you then?

2. Mary and Peter, and possibly others, came and discovered that the tomb was empty. The part of the story we have in this text gives no explanations of what has happened. They are left in a state of bewilderment ‘for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.' Have you been in that kind of a situation, faced with events you cannot explain, possibly events which have dashed your hopes in another person, or in God? What has that been like for you?

3. Yet in spite of the lack of explanation, the beloved disciple ‘saw and believed'.

Have there been times when others have done something that you could not understand, and which they could not explain at the time and yet you believed that all was not as it seemed; times when you decided to trust in spite of the evidence?

Have there been times when others have shown this kind of faith in you when you were not able to offer satisfactory explanations, and all you could say was ‘trust me'?

Have there been times in your relationship with God when you have felt that you were faced with an empty tomb and still you believed?

Where have you found life in such experiences?