Lovely Easter landscapes gladden eye and heart and are remembered with joy forever. We see the Spring time beauty in April sunshine. We know that mountain, river, and sea, and flower filled garden still exist when night must fall and darkness covers the earth. We walk and we work while the light lasts. Christ spoke of this. We can create our own special darkness when even the greatest truths may become absent from us because we turn away from the source of light that never fails. Our life pattern may ignore, or indeed oppose, the reality of mystery, of faith, of prayer, of transcendence. We may come to lead frustrated shallow lives that neglect the deep realities by which alone we truly live.
Now we are awakened to fullness of life. For 50 days, from now till Pentecost, we are called to reflect on the mystery of Christ's resurrection. That our saviour really died was certified by Pilate. His tomb was sealed and guarded. A great stone closed off all approach. We go with the women and share their awe in the early dawn to find that the tomb is empty. The stone was rolled away not that the saviour could emerge, but that the disciples could look in. Christ was already risen. The interpreting angels, as in all apocalyptic scripture, give the message. "Why seek for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen!" We could allow stones of cynicism, of cruelty, of pride, or of brutal selfishness to block our approach to Christ. The sacraments and the Easter celebration cause grace to come to us provided we do not place the stones of rejection across the entrance to our heart.
With Mary Magdalen, apostle of the apostles, and with the disciples we can, in our prayer, come close to the empty tomb, to the Easter garden, to the Emmaus road, to the upper room, with doubting Thomas, and to the hill of Olivet's farewell. Always it was Christ's saving word and some familiar gesture that brought realisation of his blessed presence. So frequently His own failed to recognise the risen saviour. No longer must they be foolish and slow of heart to accept what the prophets said regarding the Messiah. In prayer Christ always opens up the scripture, and poor cold hearts are warmed with His love.
This is a reality experienced in ourselves and in the lives of those around us. The Gospels and St Luke's narrative awaken us to the transformation in the apostles. Peter before the council, and Paul before King Agrippa still have life giving messages for us this Spring time. With Thomas we can cease to be agnostic and with new found faith call out "My Lord and My God". And filled with Easter joy we too will recognise our redeemer in the breaking of the bread.
Patrick Kavanagh shapes a deep prayer for us amid our Easter hopes.
. . . Give me Faith
That I may be
Alive when April's Ecstasy
Dances in every white-thorn tree . . .