Hope and Joy

 What do you think was the most important pronouncement for all humankind ever spoken?

Sunday, at last! (no, that's not it, but close!)  His disciples had been through more than they ever imagined over the past two days.  Jesus being betrayed, taken away, scoured and crucified.  Their Savior-He who had told them that He was the Son of God and that His kingdom had come to Earth-had given His life on the cross.  Then he had been laid in a tomb, lifeless.

The women came-of course it was the women first-to the tomb early in the morning after the Sabbath.  They came to finish the anointment and embalmment of His body, which had not been finished before He was laid in the tomb just prior to the Sabbath. They worried about gaining access to the tomb-"who shall roll away the stone?".  Well, they needed not be concerned about gaining entrance, as an angel (or two) had come in the night, frightened away with their very glory the Roman soldiers, and rolled away the stone.

When Mary and the other women approached the tomb the angel told them “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;". 

The women quickly inspected the now empty tomb and hurried back to tell the apostles.  Peter and John ran to see and found the tomb empty.  Mary made her quick return.  While Peter and John were in  the tomb, someone approached Mary.  Mary had heard the angel proclaim "He is not here" but maybe didn't fully understand "...For He is risen, as he said".  She only knew that He was not there and asked the gardener, as she assumed, where He had been taken so she could complete her loving service in anointing and embalming His body.  It was then that He revealed his resurrected self to her and her hope turned to joy.

Unimaginable and infinite grace and mercy was pronounced on each of us with the angel's utterance of "...he is risen, as he said."  The most important declaration ever spoken.

Because He is indeed risen, we celebrate His atonement and resurrection on this holy day.  There was, in His time, still much work to do, as there still is.  Work to change all mankind and  each of us.  That means me.  And you.  And even you!  We get to learn, have faith, grow, stumble and fall, and rise again-until we become more like him.

The second most important declaration we all long to hear?  Because He did His Father's will and He is indeed risen, when we are each, one by one, again in His embrace, may we hear, as he lovingly calls us by our name,  "Well done, my good and faithful servant".