Easter Monday | Monday 18 April 2022

Today is Easter Monday, the 18th of April.
The University of Johannesburg Choir sing Ndisondela Kuwe, I come to you in prayer, almighty God. You are worthy to be praised. As we journey into the season of Eastertide with joy, can you come before Christ in prayer and praise Him?
Ndisondela kuwe (Ndisondela kuwe)
Thixo (Ndiza ndithandaza)
Thixo (Thixo uyingcwele)
Ufanelwe ufanelwe nal'udumo
Amen amen amen (Amen amen amen)
Amen (Amen amen amen)
Amen (Amen amen amen)
Amen amen amen amen haleluya


Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 28:8-15
So the women left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, ‘You must say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

“The Lord is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” The traditional Easter greeting and response captures something of the excitement of this passage. The women had gone to the tomb, expecting to anoint a corpse, all their hopes dashed. Imagine for a moment their feelings as they start out in the gloom of that early morning.
An angel’s message convinces them that Jesus is still alive. Can you get a feel for the mixture of fear and hope that this message stirs up in them at that point?
Then they actually meet Jesus himself. Stay with them here and notice once again their reactions.

As the passage is read again, notice the very different tone of the anxious guards in the second part of the story.
Speak, finally, with the risen Jesus about the joy that his resurrection brings, and about what that could look like in the context of your own life.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.