Easter 6: The Women Were Not Silent

 

Earlier in the story... before Peter preached and the Holy Spirit fell on those who heard the word... on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women came to the tomb taking spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. ... Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women with them who told this to the disciples. But these words seemed to be an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 

 

For a group of people often characterized as talkers, the women’s voices are disturbingly silent in the book of Acts. Peter and his voice ring loud and clear in the public square, and yet, the blossom of the resurrection – the fullness of the truth was born by women to him.  Luke writes that after hearing the women’s tale:

Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

 

The women are present in Acts: gathered with the disciples in prayer, equally receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the subsequent persecution distributed to Jesus’ followers; women are present standing along side men like Priscilla with her husband Aquilla; women are described as sharing the hospitality of their homes, Tabitha was named as a follower and is healed.  According to the record the women were present but silent.

 

But we know, deep down, that the women were not silent.

 

In my ears ring the stories of women – resurrection words- from mothers, grandmothers, God-mothers, aunts, matriarchs of the church, Sunday School teachers, the proverbial ‘church lady,’ choir directors, nursery tenders, Mother Earth.  With deep gratitude I acknowledge the women who through the ages have born witness to the Gospel story, who have birthed hope, and have breathed new life into communities of faith.

 

Readers and researchers of history will know that historical records and documents are shy when it comes to women’s voices. Women’s voices are not recorded, or are recorded from someone else’s perspective or simply a passing note.

But we know, deep down, that the women were not silent.

 

Yesterday, May 8^th is the commemoration day of Julian of Norwich, a renewer of the church who died around 1416.  Julian was a medieval English mystic whose words were written in her book, “Revelations of Divine Love.” This is the first known book to be written in English by a woman author. Her personal story includes living through the Black Death (the Plague) which in her time killed a third of Norwich’s population.  She also lived through war, the Peasant’s Revolt, marked by civil insurrection and religious conflict.

 

What I find amazing – and what I want us to consider this morning- is her theology and her theological language.  Julian uniquely articulated descriptions and understandings of God that were not like those of her male counterparts; in fact I suspect that her writing and telling of her visions would have redden the face of many who heard her words. Her well written theological insights of Jesus talks of Jesus as mother, flowing from an understanding of the motherhood of God. The maternal nature of God and the mothering nature of God’s love  were the core of her belief and theological expression.  Her theology of Jesus and Jesus’ relation to the world and humanity is described using words like: conceiving, giving birth, weaning, and upbringing.

She went as far as to say that the relationship between a mother and child is the closest metaphor/experience to understand God’s love and relationship to humanity-  it is the only earthly relationship that comes even close to describing God’s relationship with us.

Those who heard and hear Julian’s voice hear an optimistic approach to life based on the certainly of being loved by God. In addition her bearing of the good news includes a healthy dose of the omnibenevolence of God, experiencing this ultimate love, translates through us as  both joy and compassion.

 

It’s the weekend of commemorating Julian of Norwich, we are experiencing pandemic like we have not until now, it is Mother’s Day.

I invite you to spend some time considering the witness of women –

The words, phrases, stories, and actions that faithful women have shared with you, witnessing to God’s love, joy, and compassion.

Pause to stand side by side with the women who first told Peter the good news. What words would they have used to describe the experience of entering the empty tomb? How many bubbly words would flow with a myriad of expressive hand gestures to  describe the amazing work of God? Imagine the joy on their faces as they excitedly shared how they felt,  how they were filled with optimism, and embraced the warming truth that Jesus was alive.

 

And once telling Peter and the others gathered – although not believed, but thought to be telling idle tales- the women were not silent.

Deep down we know this because the women’s story has been passed down from generation to generation, for we too have been birthed the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection through the voices of women; women who we know and love – whose joy and compassion has shone on us.

 

Today as we consider what it means to bear witness and take images of Jesus as mother, born from the motherhood of God, let us be incubated in the  prayer of Julian of Norwich:

 

In you, Father all-mighty, we have our preservation and our bliss.

In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving.

You are our mother, brother, and saviour.

In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace.

You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us.

You are our maker, our lover, our keeper.

Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well,

 and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Amen.       ----as in ELWorship pg 87