Unraveling the mystery (Marjorie Dobson)

It’s easy now for us to say 

we would have known that Easter Day 

that all was well, 

but those who saw his cruel cross 

found, in their devastating loss 

a living hell. 

  

It’s easy in that garden tomb 

to know that light pierced through the gloom 

and brought relief, 

but we have years of history 

unraveling the mystery 

to bring belief. 

  

It’s easy for us to forget 

disciples, feeling under threat, 

locking the door, 

but they were still then unaware 

that Christ would come to offer there, 

peace evermore. 

It’s easy for us to condemn 

Thomas, who had not been with them, 

so full of doubt, 

but if we’d missed that meeting, too, 

Thomas, we may have been with you 

and felt left out. 

  

It’s easy now with hindsight’s eye 

to let emotion pass us by 

because we know, 

but thank those folk, faced with Christ’s death, 

who then saw life take on new breath, 

so faith could grow. 

--Marjorie Dobson 

Image source:  Carl Bloch, The Doubting Thomas (1881)

Poem source