Monday in the Octave of Easter 2016

“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. “

Fearful yet overjoyed they went….the events were more than they could understand; it was out of the scope of natural laws that they knew and lived by…He had risen. How could this be?

They had come to see the tomb. But what they saw and felt were earthquakes and an angel appeared to them and spoke to them.

The day had started with grief and in an instant they were moved to unbelievable joy, unimaginable encounters and with hearts that seemed to not be able to take any more… they were told he had risen.

Yes they were fearful and overjoyed. There is no way to say it. And filled with the news they ran to tell the disciples. I am sure in their hearts and minds they still were reenacting what they had heard, what they had seen. Still questioning whether it was real or imagined but realizing it was real and all these things kept cycling over and over in their mind … when on the way … Jesus himself met them and greeted them.

It is like that with Jesus Christ.

His whole life on earth was one of not waiting for man to understand fully, not waiting for us to find him but seeking us out. Coming to earth to be born as a babe and to live as a creature, a man…instead of creator himself. And in this way he came as a brother, a friend but yet more than a friend for we know he was the dearest of friends who came to take our place. Die so we could live.

We should be here on the other side of Easter, this Monday of Easter week and be fearful yet overjoyed too. Our stepping from Lent to Easter, from desert to abundance should find us too breathless as we run to tell others.

And it is in the sharing with others our faith that when we least expect it we will find Jesus meeting us on the way. Greeting you and me, joining us, residing with us.

This Easter season we must hold on to that excitement and like Mary Magdalene and the other Mary not only rejoice even as we find fear still in our hearts, but rejoice and share our faith with others.

This is the season for sharing faith and loving others. Do not let yourself be fooled into thinking Easter is over.

For it is only just beginning.