Contemplation

All four Gospels recount the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus. These accounts differ slightly depending on who the narrative is meant for. However what the Resurrection stories do have in common are that the tomb was found empty and the Risen Christ appeared to certain people. Let us enter St Matthew’s narrative which is read at the Easter Vigil this year and watch the scene unfold as he appears to Mary of Magdala and the other Mary.

• Who are you within the story? Are you Mary of Magdala? The other Mary? One of the guards? The angel? Perhaps something or someone not mentioned in the written story.

• What was the dawn like? What is the climate like? Chilly? Hot? Oppressive? What is the atmosphere like? Is it full of grief, confusion or even anger? What can you see, hear and feel around you?

• What is the location like? What sounds, smells, and the other details about the location do you notice? Do you notice the soldiers guarding the tomb? What are they doing? Are they sleeping? Are they chatting to one another? Perhaps they are around a campfire talking in low voices.

• Why do you go to the tomb? Could you not sleep wondering why Jesus had to die? Do you feel you need something to do so you decide to tend to Jesus’ mortal remains? How does your heart feel? Heavy with grief? Filled with sorrow? Do you feel angry or confused that Jesus allowed himself to be taken without defending himself? Do you feel he deserted you when there was so much more to learn from him? Do you feel you cannot go on without him to instruct you?

• What happens next? How do you react to the earthquake? When you see the angel rolling back the stone of the tomb? Imagine your shock. How do the soldiers react? Imagine their shock?

• How do you react when you hear the angel speaking to you? Are you comforted when he said “Do not be afraid?” When the angel assures you that Jesus “has been raised just as he said., how do you feel? Overjoyed? Frightened? Disbelief because you saw him die?

• Do you go and look inside the tomb as the angel instructed? How do you feel when you see the empty tomb? Joy at realising that Jesus’ promise to rise on the third day was actually true? Does what Jesus said during the past three years begin to make sense to you? That the horrific events in Jerusalem was not his end but a beginning? Perhaps nothing that Jesus had said could have prepared you for the reality of the Resurrection.

• As you run to give the disciples the message and also to give them the instructions that the Angel had given them, to meet Jesus in Galilee, you meet the risen Christ. Imagine how you feel? Are you overjoyed with his words of comfort and kneel down to worship him? Is there anything you want to say to him?

• Do you too want to go to Galilee and encounter the risen Christ in your ordinary life, amidst things that are familiar to you? How do you feel about Jesus calling you brother? Do you feel he now trusts you to carry on his mission?

Speak to the Risen Christ about opportunities that you can encounter him in your every day life in your family, in your community, in your prayer time, in nature.