Jerusalem has endured a dark and starless night.
Jesus lies in his tomb, silent and still.
Guards are posted, poised and ready to fight
but no one has opposed them on this lonely hill.
The disciples are instead hiding, filled with fear.
The ones who knew Jesus so well now have doubt.
They ponder the words of their friend so dear.
They wonder why Jesus left them alone to cast about.
Their friend, their savior, whose miracles were seen..
is apparently gone so they feel guilty and profoundly sad.
These followers of Christ should have, but did not intervene
Have they forgotten or can they deny the times they had?
The shepherd’s flock is frightened and alone
but the master’s voice will be returning soon.
The angels appear now and roll away the stone
that blocked the entrance to Jesus’s tomb.
In the blackness of the night, a light is shone.
It is not the dawning of the day that has begun
The light is coming from behind the stone.
God’s angels of light are awakening God’s son.
This is a day that, for believers, goes down in history.
The promised savior is rising, and the guards are in awe.
How their simple lives may have changed is a mystery.
but the guards witness the miracle that defies nature’s law.
Mary Magdalene and others arrive in the early light of day.
They are here to anoint the dead body, but something is awry.
“Why is the tomb open and the stone rolled away?”
“Where is my master?” she asks those standing nearby.
The first to see the risen Christ. Mary Magdalene was blessed.
Angels ask “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”
The eleven will soon see Jesus again. Their doubts confessed.
The Lord will bring peace, and by his holy spirit, they will be fed.
