Father, in this wee hour before the dawn on this Easter Sunday morning I cannot help but think of Mary Magdalene and her friends readying themselves for their journey to the tomb. There are no smiles – they have no reason to. There, I’m sure, were tears – they have every reason to.

Jesus is gone – they are still in shock. How did things spiral out of control so quickly? But…they blow their nose and wipe their tears for there is a job to be done. Jesus had done so much for them, the least they could do was to lovingly care for his body. The Sabbath was almost over, only three days had passed. They still had time before his body began to decay. It would be difficult seeing him lying there, touching his now cold skin, but it needed to be done.

As they headed out darkness was still about but they wanted to be there for the task at hand as soon as the morning light broke the horizon as they came closer, it dawned upon them that they would have to move the stone that had been rolled over the entrance of where His body lay. I was way too big for them to move – what were they to do? But they were almost there – they would figure something out. As the sun crept over the horizon they could see the shadowy details of Golgotha and tears once again threatened to rise but there was work to do and they would do it. And then they were there and nothing was as it should be! The stone had already been rolled away – they had worried for no reason. They carefully and reverently stepped into the tomb and… the body was not there! They knew they were at the right place. They would never forget watching Nicodemus assist Joseph of Arimathea lovingly place the body in its final resting place. These facts were just going through their minds when out of nowhere two beings stood before them blinding them in their brilliant attire. Terrified they fell to the ground. Then came the question. “Why do You seek the living amongst the dead, He is not here, he has risen. Remember what He said?” Luke 24:5-6

What? How could this…? He said so many things that they couldn’t understand. But…wait…he did tell us!! Why didn’t we believe? He is risen? He is risen!

Once more there were tears – but no longer tears of grief but tears of joy! Praise God! We must tell the others and off they went!

Mar 27th,  EASTER Sun, 5:30 am