This is the day that God has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! This is the heart of the Easter proclamation – God has made this new day, this wonderful life-giving day and rejoicing is the only appropriate response. God’s doing a new thing, the divine creativity brings forth new life with every new day, and that creates life where death appeared triumphant. It may seem like a “idle tale” to skeptics but to those who have experienced resurrection this “tale” witnesses to life bursting forth in the face of death.
It seems Peter believes the women enough that he must check the tomb out for himself. What must have been going through his head and his heart as he got closer?
I imagine his heart was pounding with hope, regret, grief and fear as he ran to the tomb. Perhaps that is why he, unlike the women, didn’t go in - he just stooped and looked in. Perhaps it was now light enough to not need to go in order to see. Perhaps by Jewish custom he was avoiding the uncleanness of the place of the dead.
Whatever the reason, stooping and seeing was enough. He saw the linen cloths by themselvesand for him that was enough. Maybe he thought anyone stealing the body wouldn’t have goneto the trouble of taking off the clothes and leaving them behind. Whatever he saw and whateverreasoning he used - he went home amazed at what had happened.