He is Risen! Alleluia!

WOW! We were very blessed with the wonderful weather this school holidays. How lovely was it to sit outside with my family, enjoying the sun over the Easter weekend.

This Easter Sunday, I was drawn to how Mary and her companion would have felt that morning when they realised that the tomb was empty. What fear they must have felt in the moments before Jesus appeared to them. I was also drawn to a beautiful image that I believe captures this very well.

What draws me to this image is that it is clearly early in the morning as the sun has not risen yet - the only light is coming from the tomb. You can see the whole event - the crosses on the hill in the top left - the village in the top right and the garden and tomb in the middle. There are three women in this image in the foreground. You notice that two of the women are consoling each other and the woman on the right is pointing, unafraid, maybe knowing what they are witnessing.

This new Church season, I want to be awake, an early riser. I want to be able to see when Jesus is making himself visible to me. Through people around me, through the changing colours in the leaves, a butterfly in my garden, the sun on my face, the laughter of those I love, through prayer.

How will you be the early riser this year?