UNTIL THE LATER MORNING - An Easter Meditation

Listening to the readings for the Easter Vigil, I have a sense of obstacles: the obstacles facing the people of Israel on their way to the Promised Land; the obstacles that face us in our spiritual life as we search relentlessly for Jesus; external obstacles and the more difficult internal ones.

“Who will roll away the stone?” asked the women on the way to the tomb. “Who will deliver me from this body?” asks St. Paul when he reflects on the struggle that is part of human life (Romans 7). Who will ease my pain and dry my tears? His answer is, “It is the Lord.”

“I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh instead. A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you” (Jeremiah 31). 

The stone is rolled away and we are opened up to new possibilities, new life. This is done by God. Our task is to allow it be done.

The strange thing is that on entering the tomb the women learn that Jesus is risen, but at this stage they don’t see or experience the risen Lord. They must wait until the later morning. The stone of my heart may have been removed, Jesus may be risen, but I may have to wait for another morning before I experience again the reality that he is risen.

Timothy Radcliffe O. P. describes a nun at the Easter vigil somewhere in South America – “singing love songs to a candle in the dark.” A lovely image! So I will spend my Holy Week and Easter singing love songs to Jesus! Silently – most of the time!

May Easter come to you as a new Alleluia! – sung lovingly in the joyful silence of your heart.