Sunday March 23rd.

An Easter Meeting

A short personal reflection on the first Easter morning by Fr. Tom

As the dawn approached and light began to filter slowly into the room, a woman could be made out in the shadows sitting motionless, her head bowed and her hands clasped together. Her veil and her outward apparel were folded over a chair close to her.  As the light increased, traces of tears became visible on her cheeks; the sad-looking eyes were down cast and her face showed obvious signs of sorrow and grief. She stirred slightly and wrapped her mantle around her, for the room had cooled during the night. The world outside remained silent, for it was too early for anyone to be abroad. There was a sense of deep loneliness, made all the more apparent, by the grey light of early  morning.

Suddenly, there was another presence in the room, and the room was filled with the most beautiful light dispelling all the darkness and shadows. The figure of a young man appeared before her and a voice said to her: “Mother”. Mary immediately recognised the voice of her son. With joy, she  threw herself into his arms. Her own voice was so filled with emotion that she could scarcely pronounce his name, "Jesus".

The union of mother and son in the dawn of the first Easter morning was so beautiful. Was it a dream? No truly this was Jesus, her son. It was only two days previously on Calvary she had held his lifeless body in her arms, covered in blood from the wounds of the nails on the cross. All the intense sorrow of the last few days melted in the glow of the warmth of his presence. Jesus was alive! Mother and Son talked together. What they said to each other we can only imagine, but it must have been so beautiful.

By now the sun was fully up, and although Jesus had gone, the room was now filled with the  brightness, joy and hope of that first Easter day.

May this Easter assure us that the presence of the risen Christ is within the heart of each of us. If you still mourn the loss of a loved one, let Christ dispel the sorrow in your heart and give you new hope in your grief. Mary understands  more than anyone else.  May she, at whose request her Son turned the water into wine, help to change whatever  sorrow we may have into a deep and consoling spiritual joy. May she help us all to renew our trust in her Son and his promise of the resurrection, so that we may know that our loved ones are  gathered safely together in heaven and made new in Christ. Remember the words of the angel to Mary of Magdala: Why look for the living among the dead. He is not here. He is risen. And this is equally true of all our loved ones. Don’t look among the dead for one who is now alive in heaven.