Mar 28: Christ Appears to the Women

Jerome Nadal: Christ Appears to the Women
Adnotationes et Meditationes in Evangelia, 1595

Monday in the Octave of Easter

Gospel: Mt 28:8-15

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me (NRSV, Mt 28:10).”

Father, your apostle Paul teaches us that an apostle is one who has seen the risen Lord and is then sent to bring the good news to others. Paul understood himself as the least but also the last of the apostles, one born out of undue time.

In Matthew’s gospel, then, the first of the apostles are the three Maries, the holy women who went to anoint the body of Christ, who encountered Jesus in his risen body and were told to bring the good news of his resurrection to the others.

Father, as your bless the holy women who were the first to be sent, bless us also who have received the good news of Jesus’ resurrection in our time that we we also may be effective instruments of your grace to all of our sisters and brothers.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen