Matthew 28:1-10

“But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” vss. 5-6

Each of the four gospels have different accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, but there are two things that they have in common. First, each of them features an empty tomb! The body of Jesus is nowhere to be seen! And second, the first to discover that the tomb was empty were Jesus’ female disciples! Beyond those common factors there are multiple differences among the gospels. There seems to have been no way to capture the wonder of the resurrection in a single report! And the differences are what add credibility to the testimony of the gospel writers! We would be suspicious if everyone described the indescribable in exactly the same way. The story reeks of authenticity! Whatever happened on that Sunday morning so many years ago, we can be confident of this: something happened! And the world has never been the same since. That improbable, unexpected tale has found its way into human hearts, and quite literally has changed the course of history. The empty tomb is the perfect corollary to the cross, and together they provide all we need for a complete and comprehensive faith. Through the death of Jesus and his resurrection we have forgiveness and hope. To put it simply, the past does not define our future! Alleluia!

Thought for the Day: How have women impacted my faith?