A TALE OF TWO CAVES

A cold cave, under the earth, provided shelter for the birth of a babe. This baby grew up, passed through the normal process of childhood and manhood. His revolutionary teachings shook the whole world. The effect of his words caused an earthquake in the way of thinking and behaving. The replica of this earthquake is still being felt, even nowadays, a rumbling is heard.

A cold cave, under the earth, provided repose for the tortured corpse of this revolutionist. On the third day, following his death, the cave, the tomb was found to be empty. There is written witness to this event; not only of his followers, but also of his enemies.

In the first cave, that sheltered his birth, he was still helpless, as all babies are. He needed to be fed, to be changed, he cried when hungry or thirsty, or when he felt discomfort. He was nurtured and grew up to childhood, surrounded with love that only parents can give. He depended on his mum to learn how to walk, to utter the first word and learn how to read his first word. He needed help.

During adulthood he worked and prayed, because he had a mission to accomplish. At the end of the day, he used to get tired. He needed sleep, just like we, in fact he once slept on a fishing boat in the middle of a sea storm. When hungry, he used to eat, just like his twelve friends. He was accused for doing what was right, on a Sabbath; because he had healed. He was molested, accused of being a drunkard. Very often his silence was his answer.

Not so in the second cave. The second cave was destined to be a witness of His greatness, His power. An earthquake announced the arrival of an angel who rolled the stone away. Certainly enough, in the second cave He did not need the help of any man. He is now, the supreme, High Priest, who did not enter the ‘tent’ built by men. The sacrifice He offered, and the blood He shed was not that of a sacrificial animal. It was His own blood.

The ‘first cave chapter’ had been closed. He now gives abundant proof of His glory and power. He did rebuild the destroyed Temple in three days, all single-handed. Before He left the burial cave, He made it a point to leave ample proof behind Him. He left the shroud with marks of His beatings, the wounds and lacerations all over His body. And He left the kerchief which covered His face.

Coming to think of it, the cave was sealed by the Roman soldiers, a mill-stone was rolled to block the opening, lest the dead man should wake up, walk away, or call for help! The stone itself had the official Roman seal, and it was a crime to break such seal. It was on constant watch by three guards, lest the dead man would try to escape. Nothing can stop God from His Plans. The resurrected Christ did leave more proof to show His power and glory, He left the image of His face and the marks of His whole tortured body on the linen that enshrouded Him. He defied all laws of science, known and unknown.

Humanity still enjoys, to this very day, the effect, the result of ‘the empty tomb.’ No Caiphas, no hush-money, no invented stories about the Apostles stealing the body, no bribes can ever lessen the effect of ‘the empty tomb’. It might have served the immediate purpose, presumably, of sparing the soldiers' lives for the time being.

A Tale of Two Caves … Betlehem Cave gave proof of his helplessness, as every human feels. In the Arimathea Cave He showed His power, His majesty, His divinity, His glory. He injected courage to all His followers, and the earthquake keeps on rumbling to this very day. His power, His influence was felt throughout all the ages. The Herods, Nero, the Caesars, Attila the Hun, Alexander the Great, Communism … you name them. “How the mighty have fallen”.

What’s left of them, today? Only a mention in History. But we can’t say the same with the ‘Caveman of Betlehem’. Francis of Assisi, Augustine, Benedict, Dominic, these are just a drop in the ocean, and their thousands of followers. These all vouch for the Man of the ‘Tale of Two Caves’. Thank God the rumbling is still going on, and keeps going on till the end of time. And ‘Thank God’ I can still hear the rumbling.
Do you? Thank God for it.