The Easter Morning Gospel from Matthew (28:1–10) begins in darkness. Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” go to the tomb at dawn — carrying grief, confusion, and love. They are not expecting resurrection. They are simply faithful. There is an earthquake. The stone is rolled back. The angel speaks: “Do not be afraid… He is not here; for he has risen.”
Then, as they run, afraid yet filled with great joy, Jesus himself meets them on the road. And again, we hear those steadying words: “Do not be afraid.”
Easter begins not in certainty, but in trembling faith. Not in clarity, but in trust.
For us in the Greater Company of Mary, this Gospel has a particular resonance. We accompany grief. We know the silence of Holy Saturday. Yet we are also a people of the dawn. Venerable Mary Potter understood deeply the mystery of Calvary, but she never stopped there. She wrote: “We live in the joy of the Resurrection — it should be a fresh joy to us each day.”
Mary Potter knew that to stand at the foot of the Cross is to be entrusted with hope. The Resurrection does not erase suffering; it transforms it.
In this Easter story, the women are sent out immediately: “Go and tell my brothers…”
Easter is something to announce, not only in words, but in presence, tenderness, and faithful love.
Joyce Rupp writes that resurrection is “the courage to step forward into hope when everything in us wants to stay in the tomb.” (Open the Door-2008).
How often are we invited to roll away small stones — stones of discouragement, fatigue, fear for our world, concern for our congregation, our family, grief for what has been? The Risen Christ meets us not at the tomb, but on the road. Pope Leo XIV calls the Church to be a sign of reconciliation and peace within creation and among peoples. Resurrection faith is never private; it is always for the life of the world.
The angel’s instruction is simple: “Do not be afraid.”
For us, that may mean:
- Do not be afraid of diminishment — God brings new life.
- Do not be afraid of uncertainty — Christ walks ahead of us into Galilee.
- Do not be afraid of grief — love is stronger than death.
Some of you may know I am supporting my father who is 94 and still living in his own home. It is difficult being a nurse and daughter, being aware of all the challenges and what could go wrong. As dad ages and his health and independence declines there is grief, uncertainty and diminishment for both he and his family. “Our Holy Saturday moments – the stillness of grief, the hush of uncertainty…. the moments when we cannot see resurrection, and suffering still holds sway.” Bishop Brian Mascord P 67 Compassion Lenten Programme 2026.
As dad, and family live this life together I take great comfort in the Angel’s message “Do not be afraid”. Indeed, this time together has brought so many blessings for all of us. We have great gratitude for those special moments with dad and the support received from health and other professionals. Easter invites us to live as women and men of the dawn — attentive to signs of life, faithful in small acts of mercy, steady in hope. May we hear the Risen One speak our name. May we recognise him on the road of our daily service. And may we, in the spirit of Venerable Mary Potter, live as companions of hope, carrying the quiet certainty that the stone has already been rolled away. Christ is risen. He goes before us. Do not be afraid.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1
Prayer
Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Easter and the promise of resurrection. Today, I pause to offer gratitude for the countless blessings in my life—seen and unseen. Help me carry a heart of thankfulness beyond this holy season, recognizing Your goodness in every circumstance. Let my words, deeds, and prayers be rooted in sincere gratitude, reflecting Your eternal love. Amen.