What If It's True?

“I’m telling you! I don’t know what happened! One minute I was there talking with Petronus, and the next I was waking up as if from a dream.”

“How can you say that? You must know what happened. You were there! You saw who took him. Talk man! We have to find these criminals and imprison them now! Pilate will have us all hanging from a cross when he gets word of this. I’m not taking the blame for your mistake. I know you fell asleep on your watch. You are the one responsible. They couldn’t have stolen his body if you had been alert.”

“No Commander! I swear! I stood my watch faithfully. No one came near. All I remember is the stone beginning to roll back from the tomb. It just rolled back with no one there to push or move it. I was terrified! And then the light! The light was as bright as the sun! I couldn’t see it was so blinding! I remember nothing else. It is like I was put into a deep sleep! When I came to, his body was gone. The only thing left was his clothing... his grave shroud... laying there as if it was still surrounding him. But the cloth that covered his face was folded and lying neatly to the side."

‘You have lost your mind. It’s impossible! I can not make this report! It was bad enough being assigned to this miserable post. If I tell your story to Pilate, he will be sure my life is not worth living. I’ll be sent somewhere even more forsaken by the gods!”

“But sir... what if.. What if it’s true... what if he did arise? What if he truly was resurrected from death? Some of the people are talking. They say that he told his followers he would rise from the tomb. They say he is the son of God! Yes! He told them they would have eternal life! Could it be? Let me go and talk with them... find out more.”

“Hog spit! It can’t possibly be true. You’re an idiot, man!”

“No... I know it appears foolishness... but something is different. I feel it. There was a power... a presence. Something happened to me. I have to find out more about this man. His people may know where he went... I mean where they have taken his body. I HAVE to find out.”

“You spineless worm! Where’s Petronus?! He will clear this up and you will find yourself facing serious charges for deserting your post."

“Sir.. Petronus... Petronus is gone. While I was coming to, he began to wake also. He mumbled something to me about finding Jesus! Then he ran out of the garden. He left his sword and shield behind as if he intended never to return.”

“Imbeciles! What kind of men are you? You can’t even stand your post and guard a dead body! We will never live this down!”

“Sir?”

“Yes.. What now?”

“Permission sir? Permission to leave?”

“Leave? Where are you going?”

“I HAVE to go...to find Jesus, sir.”