+JMJ
This is a week of celebration. The Octave of Easter. It can arguably be the greatest week of the liturgical calendar!
Our Lord has risen! He has conquered death! For complete love of us! If that isn’t something to celebrate then I don’t know what is!
I am blessed to have this entire week off and have been spending it with my family.
So, I just wanted to share a short contemplative moment I had while meditating on the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there is a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for He has been raised just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.
Matthew 28:1-6
I’m walking along a path. It’s a beautiful sunny day. One of those days that you cannot help but be filled with joy. It is sunny, warm, and a gentle breeze blows through the trees.
I am enjoying the sunshine when I am taken aback as the ground begins to tremble beneath my feet. It is short lived, and leaves me feeling worried, but I continue down the path, hesitant.
I hear a shout ahead of me and I have to jump out of the way as a woman runs past me, hysterical.
She keeps crying out, “He has been raised!”
My heart is unsettled, but I continue on, not understanding what she is talking about.
I’m lost in my own thoughts as I walk, and I don’t realize that I have taken a wrong turn.
When I look up I can see the tomb. The large boulder rolled away from the entrance.
There is a basket of flowers and herbs dropped in front of the entrance. I bend down to pick them up, carefully arranging them in the basket.
The breeze begins to pick up and a few of the flowers begin to blow away. I lunge to gather them up, but one blows towards the entrance of the tomb.
I hurry after it but stop as feet and a white robe come into view.
I look up, into the face of Jesus. He is bright, shining, smiling.
I scramble to my feet, ashamed that He might think I was stealing His basket full of flowers and herbs.
But He doesn’t say anything, just holds out one single flower to me.
Can you guess which one?
The most beautiful White Lily I have ever seen.
Jesus Wants to Bless You
Jesus suffered and died for you.
Specifically YOU!
He offers the most wonderful things in the world and He wants to give them to YOU!
Take some time today to think about the many gifts God has given to you. Think about all the blessings and good things.
That is what Jesus offers to you on the Easter Sunday: All of His Grace and blessings.
Then, thank Him ardently from the bottom of your heart for the gifts He has given you, but most importantly, the gift of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
Thrive in Jesus, my friends!
If you put yourself into this contemplation, what flower does He offer you? I’m curious!
Drop me a comment and let me know!