After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples.

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples.

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

Introductory Prayer: Everything that happens in this world happens by the will of God. Life takes on its deepest meaning when it is lived before God. The truths of our lives are not found in our own hearts, but in the great heart of God himself. In him we live and move and have our being.

Petition: Lord, fill my heart with trust that I might give myself completely to your will.

1. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. Heaven and its power are beyond our imagination. We see some signs of these, as now when the angels descend and roll back the stone. This material world that at times so bedazzles us is nothing when compared with the power of God. Sometimes we need an earthquake in our lives to bring us to our senses, to remind us to roll back that stone that imprisons Christ and the power of his grace behind the barrier of our fear and slowness to believe.

2. Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here. Do not be afraid! Christ did not conquer the world as the world understands power and conquest. We still look for him among the dead, the lifeless things of this world. Maybe that is why we are afraid. But to follow Christ, to meet the risen Christ in our lives, to live his new life we have to shed our fear of him, our fear of suffering for him, the feeling that we will come out losing.

Our joy on Easter is not a shallow, feel-good, momentary happiness. Resurrection joy is profound, rooted in the confidence that Christ has conquered the world by the cross, the greatest sign of his love, and in the discovery of greater meaning to our lives with its necessary strife and hardship.

3. Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. What did the women think when they saw Christ? Seeing him they embraced his feet and did him homage. These women had seen him die; they saw his bloodied, bruised body lying limp in his mother's arms. Now he is alive! Death has no power over him! The Lord has risen as he said! Alleluia!

What a discovery! We don't really begin to be Christians until we make the same discovery, he is alive!

Conversation: Lord, I want to grow in my love for you. Help me to shed my fear. Help me to trust in your words. Give me an increase in faith, a living faith that knows you are alive and with us, faith that will turn my whole life into constant conversation with you and be the source of true joy.

Questionnaire:

1. How strong is my faith in the living, risen presence of Christ in my daily life?

2. Is fear holding me back from giving myself to him entirely, letting him take over my life? Fear of what?