Running Toward the Empty Tomb: A Reflection on John 20:2-8

In the early morning darkness, Mary Magdalene discovered something that would change everything: an empty tomb. Her immediate response wasn't contemplation or careful analysis—it was urgent action. She ran to Peter and John with news that seemed devastating: "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."

What follows is one of the most human moments in Scripture. Two disciples, hearing impossible news, do what we all do when faced with the unbelievable—they run to see for themselves.

The Race to Understanding

Peter and John both ran to the tomb, but John arrived first. Yet he hesitated at the entrance, peering in but not entering. It's a moment we can all relate to—standing at the threshold of something that might change everything we thought we knew, unsure whether to step forward.

Peter, true to his character, went straight in. He saw the burial cloths lying there, the face cloth rolled up separately. These weren't the signs of grave robbers or hasty removal. They were the evidence of something unprecedented.

Then John entered, and in that moment, he "saw and believed."

What Faith Looks Like

The Gospel tells us something remarkable: "For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead." John believed before he fully understood. His faith didn't wait for complete comprehension or perfect theological clarity. Standing in that empty tomb, surrounded by evidence of the impossible, he chose belief.

This is the faith we're invited into—not a faith that demands all answers before taking a step, but one that sees the signs God leaves for us and chooses to believe even while we're still learning to understand.

Empty Spaces, Filled with Hope

On this feast of Saint John, we're reminded that sometimes God's greatest revelations come in what appears to be absence. The empty tomb wasn't a loss—it was proof of victory over death itself. What looked like an ending was actually the beginning of everything.

In our own lives, we encounter empty spaces: plans that fall through, relationships that end, hopes that seem buried. Today's Gospel invites us to run toward those empty places with the same urgency as Peter and John, trusting that God may be revealing something new precisely where we expected to find only loss.

An Invitation to Run

The Beloved Disciple's example challenges us today. When confronted with news that disrupts our understanding, do we run toward it or away from it? When we stand at the threshold of new understanding, do we hesitate forever, or do we eventually step inside?

Faith isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to run toward the truth, even when it seems impossible. It's about seeing the evidence of God's work and choosing to believe, even before we fully understand.

On this feast day, may we have the courage to run toward the empty tombs in our own lives, trusting that what seems like absence may be preparing us for the most profound presence we've ever known.

The empty tomb stands as God's eternal promise: death never has the final word.