Dear Church, the Beloved of Christ:
Christ is Risen!
The Lord is Risen Indeed!
Hallelujah!
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
There are many stories that take place in those first hours of the resurrection – Peter at the tomb finding it empty, the conversation on the road to Emmaus, and the revelation of Jesus to his disciples in the upper room. The most moving, to me, is that of St Mary Magdalen.
For centuries, the Western Church created an inaccurate portrayal of her as a fallen woman who repented when she met Jesus, a position refuted by Pope Pius VI (and during the Protestant Reformation). She was a disciple of Jesus, a devoted follower, student of the way, and considered Apostle to the Apostles with the strongest faith in his work and divinity.
Myth and Tradition has it that St Mary gained an audience with Emperor Tiberius. She spoke with him about the Christ, his message, and the Resurrection. His response was ‘That did not happen, no more so than this egg would be red, and not white!’. She picked up the egg and said ‘It is so’ and the egg turned red! It is the start of the tradition of painted Easter eggs, and the continued tradition of beautifully decorated eggs in the Russian Orthodox Church.
May the joy of the Feast of the Resurrection fill our homes and the promise of the new life be in our Hearts
Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!
Father Eric