On Good Friday afternoon John’s gospel left us at the tomb of Jesus. Today it takes us back there. With Mary of Magdala, Peter and the disciples Jesus loved, we discover ‘very early on the first day of the week’ that the tomb is empty. What are we to make of this? There’s a striking difference in the gospels between the passion narratives and the resurrection stories. The accounts of the passion are long, with a strong storyline. The resurrection stories, by contrast, are relatively short and enigmatic. They have an air of mystery and obscurity about them. They raise more questions that provide answers. Today’s passage is no exception. Who is the disciple Jesus love? Why is so much made of who got to the tomb or went in first? At this point no answers are given. We are left wonder whether we ourselves have understood ‘the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead’.  It may be just as well that the readings finishes where it does because the next verse goes on to say, Then the disciples returned to their homes’. This statement only provokes more questions. Answers begin to emerge with the episode that follows – Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalen. It’s a great shame that the story of this beautiful and touching encounter is never heard on a Sunday.