Addoliad ar Ddydd y Pasg
Yn ystod y tarddiant coronafirws, mae'r Esgob yn darparu deunydd i gefnogi addoliad ar yr aelwyd ar brif wyliau. Mae hyn yn cynnwys trefn o wasanaeth ar gyfer Litwrgi'r Gair, a myfyrdod wedi'i recordio. Mae testun y myfyrdod hefyd ar gael yma.
Darlleniadau
Colosiaid 3:1-4
Felly, os cyfodwyd chwi gyda Christ, ceisiwch y pethau sydd uchod, lle y mae Crist yn eistedd ar ddeheulaw Duw. Rhowch eich bryd ar y pethau sydd uchod, nid ar y pethau sydd ar y ddaear. Oherwydd buoch farw, ac y mae eich bywyd wedi ei guddio gyda Christ yn Nuw. Pan amlygir Crist, eich bywyd chwi, yna fe gewch chwithau eich amlygu gydag ef mewn gogoniant.
Ioan 20:1-18
Ar y dydd cyntaf o'r wythnos, yn fore, tra oedd hi eto'n dywyll, dyma Mair Magdalen yn dod at y bedd, ac yn gweld bod y maen wedi ei dynnu oddi wrth y bedd. Rhedodd, felly, nes dod at Simon Pedr a'r disgybl arall, yr un yr oedd Iesu'n ei garu. Ac meddai wrthynt, “Y maent wedi cymryd yr Arglwydd allan o'r bedd, ac ni wyddom lle y maent wedi ei roi i orwedd.” Yna cychwynnodd Pedr a'r disgybl arall allan, a mynd at y bedd. Yr oedd y ddau'n cydredeg, ond rhedodd y disgybl arall ymlaen yn gynt na Pedr, a chyrraedd y bedd yn gyntaf. Plygodd i edrych, a gwelodd y llieiniau yn gorwedd yno, ond nid aeth i mewn. Yna daeth Simon Pedr ar ei ôl, a mynd i mewn i'r bedd. Gwelodd y llieiniau yn gorwedd yno, a hefyd y cadach oedd wedi bod am ei ben ef; nid oedd hwn yn gorwedd gyda'r llieiniau, ond ar wahân, wedi ei blygu ynghyd. Yna aeth y disgybl arall, y cyntaf i ddod at y bedd, yntau i mewn. Gwelodd, ac fe gredodd. Oherwydd nid oeddent eto wedi deall yr hyn a ddywed yr Ysgrythur, fod yn rhaid iddo atgyfodi oddi wrth y meirw. Yna aeth y disgyblion yn ôl adref.
Ond yr oedd Mair yn dal i sefyll y tu allan i'r bedd, yn wylo. Wrth iddi wylo felly, plygodd i edrych i mewn i'r bedd, a gwelodd ddau angel mewn dillad gwyn yn eistedd lle'r oedd corff Iesu wedi bod yn gorwedd, un wrth y pen a'r llall wrth y traed. Ac meddai'r rhain wrthi, “Wraig, pam yr wyt ti'n wylo?” Atebodd hwy, “Y maent wedi cymryd fy Arglwydd i ffwrdd, ac ni wn i lle y maent wedi ei roi i orwedd.” Wedi iddi ddweud hyn, troes yn ei hôl, a gwelodd Iesu'n sefyll yno, ond heb sylweddoli mai Iesu ydoedd. “Wraig,” meddai Iesu wrthi, “pam yr wyt ti'n wylo? Pwy yr wyt yn ei geisio?” Gan feddwl mai'r garddwr ydoedd, dywedodd hithau wrtho, “Os mai ti, syr, a'i cymerodd ef, dywed wrthyf lle y rhoddaist ef i orwedd, ac fe'i cymeraf fi ef i'm gofal.” Meddai Iesu wrthi, “Mair.” Troes hithau, ac meddai wrtho yn iaith yr Iddewon, “Rabbwni” (hynny yw, Athro). Meddai Iesu wrthi, “Paid â glynu wrthyf, oherwydd nid wyf eto wedi esgyn at y Tad. Ond dos at fy mrodyr, a dywed wrthynt, ‘Yr wyf yn esgyn at fy Nhad i a'ch Tad chwi, fy Nuw i a'ch Duw chwi.’ ” Ac aeth Mair Magdalen i gyhoeddi'r newydd i'r disgyblion. “Yr wyf wedi gweld yr Arglwydd,” meddai, ac eglurodd ei fod wedi dweud y geiriau hyn wrthi.
Dyfyniadau o’r Beibl Cymraeg Newydd a’r Beibl Cymraeg Newydd Diwygiedig 2004 hawlfraint Cymdeithas (Brydeinig a Thramor) y Beibl. Cedwir pob hawl.
Testun myfyrdod yr Esgob
“Y maent wedi cymryd yr Arglwydd allan o'r bedd, ac ni wyddom lle y maent wedi ei roi i orwedd” (Ioan 20:2)
Yn Efengyl Ioan mae’r bwlch rhwng methiant y disgyblion i amgyffred y gwir a realiti pwy yw Iesu yn un amlwg iawn. Fe welwn ni ddynes ger y ffynnon yn haul y prynhawn yn methu â deall fod y dŵr a gynigir iddi’n wahanol i'r dŵr sy’n llenwi’r bwced. Fe welwn ni athro yn methu amgyffred nad gweithred gorfforol yn ôl yn y groth ydi cael ein geni o’r newydd. Fe welwn ni dorfeydd yn meddwl mai o’r becws y daw’r bara y mae’n ei addo iddynt.
Ac yma ar ddiwedd yr efengyl fe welwn ni ddisgybl dryslyd y tu allan i feddrod gwag. Gallwn gydymdeimlo’n llwy hefo’i hanobaith. Mae hi’n rhedeg at Pedr ac yn dweud: “Y maent wedi cymryd yr Arglwydd allan o'r bedd, ac ni wyddom lle y maent wedi ei roi i orwedd.”
Mae ei geiriau hi'n gwbl ddealladwy. Mae'r beddrod yn wag, mae'r corff wedi diflannu a does neb ddim callach. “Y maent wedi cymryd yr Arglwydd allan o'r bedd.” Beth allai esbonio'r drychineb hon? Mae hi'n tybio bod y corff wedi'i ddwyn.
Yn ystod y dyddiau ofnus ac ansicr hyn, mae geiriau Mair yn atseinio o’r newydd. Maent yno yn ein pryderon ni dros ein hanwyliaid, ein cymunedau a’n lles ni ein hunain. Wrth inni ddathlu’r Pasg eleni, mae peth o’i obaith a’i addewid y tu hwnt i’n cyrraedd. Rydym fel petai ni’n sefyll ysgwydd yn ysgwydd â Mair, y tu allan i’r bedd, yn syllu ar absenoldeb brawychus.
Mae’n gofid ni i’w glywed yng ngofid Mair: “ni wyddom lle y maent wedi ei roi i orwedd.” Os yw’r corff ar goll, yna mae Mair yn golledig hefyd. Ond mae’n bwysig gweld y cip o oleuni a gawn yn y geiriau anobiethio hyn. Oblegid mae cyfaddef ein hofnau a’n pryderon yn gam angenrheidiol cyntaf tuag at dir sicr a gwirionedd gonest.
Camwch gyda mi am funud oddi wrth lan y bedd. Rydyn ni'n cerdded gyda dau deithiwr sy’n teimlo’r un pryder a gofid. Iddyn nhw, mae'r cyfan sydd wedi digwydd yn ofnadwy. Mae’r Iesu hwn yr oeddent wedi ei ddilyn mor ffyddlon eisoes yn cilio i orffennol oer a chwerw: “ein gobaith ni oedd mai ef oedd yr un,” medden nhw. Mymryn yn unig o gysur gawn nhw o gwmni’r un sy’n eistedd gyda nhw i fwyta wrth y bwrdd. Fel Mair, wela nhw ddim byd y tu hwnt i orwel colled. Ond mae’r hyn sy’n digwydd nesaf yn dymchwel eu hanobaith garw, gan adael yn ei le lawenydd gwyllt ac annisgwyl: “Onid oedd ein calonnau ar dân ynom wrth iddo siarad â ni ar y ffordd?”
Mae'r ddwy stori’n sôn am ddisgyblion mewn lleoedd tywyll a chythryblus. Ac mae’r ddwy stori’n sôn am bobl sy'n cyfaddef eu hanobaith. Mae'r ddwy stori yn ein dwyn, yn ein cipio, y tu hwnt i orwel colled a gofid, i dir newydd fan draw. Caiff Mair ei chipio gan y geiriau hynny sy’n treiddio i graidd ei bod. Mewn moment o wynfyd, mae hi’n gweld yr Iesu Atgyfodedig o’i blaen. Caiff y ddau ddisgybl eu cipio ar doriad y bara, fel gwawr yn llewyrchu goleuni newydd o gwmpas y bwrdd.
Wrth graidd ffydd y Pasg y mae’r addewid bod Duw a’i allu yn fwy nac unrhyw bryder ac unrhyw ofn. Efallai na ddaw’n syth – fe ddaw addewid i Mair a’r disgyblion ar ôl chydig amser. Ond mae Duw yno wastad, yn gwthio’r maen o’r neilltu, yn gorchfygu tywyllwch y bedd, yn dod â’r Pasg yn fyw.
Tybed lle rydych chi y Pasg hwn? Efallai eich bod chi, fel Mair a’r ddau deithiwr, yn llawn pryder a dryswch. Does na ddim cywilydd i hynny. Deuwn fel y ydym, gyda’n holl ansicrwydd, at yr Un sydd am ein cofleidio – at y Duw fydd yn ein cynnal.
Fe hoffwn i weddïo heddiw drosoch chi a’ch hanwyliaid:
Arglwydd Iesu Grist, ddaethost o farw’n fyw, a byw fyddi am byth. Saf yn y bwlch gyda ni heddiw. Dangos inni dy ddwylo, dy ystlys, dy glwyfau oll; dyro i’n calonnau a’n heneidiau blinedig dy dangnefedd; a dwg ni y tu hwnt i orwel ein pryder i goflaid dy ymddiriedaeth a’th lawenydd; oherwydd rwyt ti’n teyrnasu gyda'r Tad a'r Ysbryd Glân, fendigaid Dduw, nawr ac am byth. Amen.
Worship on Easter Day
During the coronavirus outbreak, the Bishop is providing material to support worship at home on the major festivals. This includes an order of service for a Liturgy of the Word, and a recorded meditation. The text of the meditation is also available here.
Readings
Colossians 3:1-4
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
From The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
The text of the Bishop's meditation
“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him” (John 20:2)
It is in John’s Gospel that we see the gap most clearly between the disciples’ failing to grasp the truth and the reality of who Jesus is. We see a woman at a well in the middle of the day, not understanding the water offered was something different from the sort she drew with her pitcher. We see a teacher utterly confused about being born once more and pondering the physical gymnastics involved. We see crowds thinking the bread he offered was from the oven and in constant supply.
And here at the end of the gospel we see a bewildered disciple outside an empty tomb. We can imagine her despair at this point. She runs to Peter and says: “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
Her words are completely understandable. The tomb is empty, the body is gone and no-one seems to know a thing. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb.” What else could explain this disaster? She supposes the corpse has been stolen.
At this time of uncertainty and fear for many, Mary’s words take on new meaning. Our fears will be different, our dismay at what life is throwing at us, our nervousness about the future and whether we and our loved ones can stay safe. I am very conscious today, on Easter day, so full of promise, that hope is something many cannot yet experience. We are standing with Mary, outside the tomb, looking in, to what seems frightening and uncertain. We peer into a grave that promises nothing but a dark hole of fear and worry.
Mary’s words double up on those fears: “we do not know where they have laid him.” Re-enforcing the hopelessness of the situation, she seems more lost than the body she supposes to have been stolen. Strangely, those words of dismay are not as hopeless as they might seem; whenever people admit to their fear, grasp at something, anything they are at least acknowledging the truth: about their fears and worries.
Let me take you away from the grave for a moment. We are walking with two travellers who are in that same place – of anxious regret. For them, all that has happened is utterly dreadful. This Jesus, whom they have followed, is already receding into a cold and bitter past: “we had hoped he would be the one,” they say. Crumbs of comfort when their companion stays a while and sits with them at table. Like Mary, there is no prospect of anything beyond this moment of loss. What happens next, explodes this grim despair into a wild and unexpected joy: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road?”
Both of our stories tell of disciples in bad places: frightened and troubled. And both our stories tell of people who admit this is where they are. Both stories lead us beyond the fear, through it and out the other side. For Mary it was the moment of sublime bliss when whispered words penetrate to the core of her being. She saw him. Jesus the Risen Lord. For the two travellers, they saw him too as bread was broken at their table.
Easter faith tell us that however bleak we may feel; however troubled, there is a God whose power is greater than any fear. For Mary and for those disciples, this came later in the day. When God starts to roll back the fears, like that stone and empties the grave of its power, that is when Easter comes alive.
I wonder where you sit in these two stories I’ve recounted? If you are with Mary, anxious and bewildered or like either of those two travellers, there is no shame in this. We come as we are to the One who loves and holds us. It is God who brings us through.
Let me offer this prayer for you today and your loved ones:
Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and alive for evermore; stand with us today. Show us your hands and side, speak peace to our hearts and minds and bring us to that place of trust and joy, for you reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever blest. Amen.