Painting by Alexander Ivanov, 1835
In today’s Gospel reading, we find ourselves standing at the edge of the Holy Sepulcher next to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. They had come expecting to mourn Our Lord. Good Friday still weighed heavily on their hearts. They are sad. Discouraged. Downcast.
However, they don’t see Christ there. They instead meet the Angel of the Lord, who tells them: “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.” He then instructs them to tell the others what has taken place in the tomb. They do as he asks, “fearful yet overjoyed.” You see, their grief, which had left them so crestfallen and forlorn, is eclipsed by a sudden burst of hope. They do not fully understand what has happened, but they know to trust in the Lord!
As they hurry along the road, still in slight disbelief, Jesus comes up to them, and once they recognize Him, they fall at His feet and worship. Their fear slowly gives way to reverence and joy. Jesus greets them with simple and comforting words: “Do not be afraid.” These are words He speaks to all of us. We must never be afraid! He is always by our side.
Jesus then entrusts the two Marys with a mission: “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.” The very women who came to the tomb in sorrow are now sent out as the first witnesses of His Resurrection, carrying the greatest news the world has ever known.
But the Gospel also shows us another reaction to this wondrous news. Once they are read in, the chief priests try to bury the truth, bribing the guards to spread false stories about what has truly taken place.
Each of us faces the same choice. We can cling to fear, doubt, and even hatred, or we can “run” in faith and take a leap like the women at the tomb. After all, the risen Christ is already on the road ahead of us, ready to meet us there. All we have to do is follow Him!