Hope for the Broken-Toothed

[Mary Magdalene 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. – John 20:13-14 (NRSV) 

My two front teeth aren’t mine, or, at least, I didn’t grow them. They’re plastic or something. The story of why is too long to share, but the story of how is simple: Dentists put things in my mouth to build faux bone to help faux teeth take hold. Eventually, they succeeded. Sort of. Before the trauma that broke them, there was a gap between my teeth. It wasn’t charming or cute, but it was mine. Now, there is no gap. Now, there is some other smile. 

Along the “repair” journey, there were bridges that didn’t hold and dentures that fell apart. Whenever I bit down the wrong way, I knew it. My stomach would seize, and I’d stay home for days, hiding my broken teeth. Years later, I sometimes still want to hide this strange “new” smile. 

In the days after Easter, people struggled to recognize Jesus. Could it be that he didn’t look like himself? If he still had the crucifixion-holes that Thomas saw, maybe the resurrected Jesus had a face that was swollen, broken, or different, too.  

For the battered, bruised, and trauma-bearing among us, I believe Easter gives us the power to show up as we are. We can face the pain of awkward questions. We can muster the courage to come out of our caves. We can claim the scars and wounds and new, strange smiles.  

Prayer
Broken God of Broken People, help us to go out and be loved, just as we are, just as you did.

About the Author
Tony Coleman is Pastor at First Congregational UCC in Memphis, TN.