HAPPY EASTER

ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING TOMBS LIKE THIS

I don't want to be disrespectful, but would you blame someone for wanting to get away from the traffic noise?  Of course not.  Surely, Jesus wasn't laid to rest by the side of the paved road that you see here.   Besides, this particular tomb is in the Galilee.  That's close to 100 miles north of Jerusalem, so some  rich person must have occupied this one.  The best article I have discovered about "Rolling Stone Tombs" is available to you by clicking here.

It is clear that this style tomb was never very common.  Mainly because it could only be acquired and/or built by the wealthier people of the time.  The picture below will give you a perspective of the size and possible weight of the stone.  There are three ladies sitting in front of the main entrance to the tomb. You can tell that the round stone is rather massive.

TWO SMALL FILIPINO LADIES AND ONE LARGER COLUMBIAN

From this picture it is easy to see why the ladies who were going to attend to the care of the body of Jesus were so preoccupied about how to move the stone away from the opening.  

After having spent long periods of time in front of the opening of the Sacred Tomb where Jesus was committed, I thought that I had been moved to the apex of my emotional, spiritual and intellectual reactions.  That tomb with which I was very familiar has been radically changed because of the baroque architecture surrounding it in the church of the Holy Sepulcher.  It looks like this.

HOLY SEPULCHER ENTRANCE

I was mistaken.  When I saw the bare stone tomb in Galilee, I came to the realization that this was the real thing.  I came then to the knowledge of Faith that Jesus had begun his earthly life in a cave that His created Mother Earth offered Him and that she once again provided Him with the shelter he needed as He was preparing to return to His Father's side.

I hereupon leave you with my prayers and wishes for a happy and holy Easter.  I also remind you that now that you know that I am carrying all these things in my heart, it is impossible for you to cry at my funeral.