An Easter Meeting
A short personal reflection on the first Easter morning
(reprinted by request)
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. 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 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 , 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 than anyone else. she, at whose request her Son turned the water into wine, help to
change whatever 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 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.
Christ is truly risen from the dead. Alleluia
