04/05/2026
Imagine waking up that third morning and finding the stone rolled away.
Hope you enjoy this short story entitled
"Risen"
It was still dark as set out towards his tomb. My body ached from lack of sleep and my throat was sore from endless hours of sobbing. I never thought grief would be this painful. I swallowed to keep the lump from forming in my throat. Three days, three days since they murdered our friend on that horrible cross. Three days of hiding in fear from the Romans and Pharisees whose jealousy and blindness led them to destroy the very one who came to save them. Even in death they feared him,sealing the tomb and placing guards, keeping the mourners away. As I approached the entrance of the tomb, the morning sun had begun casting a glow over the eastern horizon. I stopped and stared at the scene before me and bile rose up from my stomach and into my throat. The stone! The stone was gone, I dropped to my knees and began to wretch. Even in death they could not leave him alone, now the tomb was wide open. I stumbled to my feet and looked into the tomb, it was empty! Forgetting my physical pain, I ran back to the city, to the place where I along with the disciples were in hiding. I collapsed in Simon Peter's arms no.longer able to stand. I looked up art him with tears running down my cheeks,"They've taken him! They've taken our Lord and I don't know where he is. Simon Peter gently lifted me off the floor and placed me on a nearby bench. He grabbed one of the other disciples, I was too lost in my grief to see who it was. Together they left to go to the tomb, after a few minutes I too left to return. By the time I reached the burial.place Simon Peter was coming out of the tomb. They said nothing to me, but walked away back towards the city. I collapsed weeping on the ground. I dragged myself to the entrance of the tomb and my grief turned to fear. There before me where Jesus had laid were two angels. They spoke to me, their voices were soft and melodic, like the sound of a gentle rainfall, "Dear woman, why do you weep?" "I weep for the body of my Lord has been taken, and I do not know where he is." After speaking these words I heard a sound behind me. There in the entrance of the tomb stood a man, I was sure he must be the gardener and was sure he would know where Jesus' body had been taken. I fell to my knees before him,"please Sir if you know where they have taken the body, please tell me." He smiled and in that voice I had been longing to hear, he spoke one word, "Mary". In hearing that voice, the way he spoke my name, my pain and grief turned to joy, "Rabbouni ?" I spoke the words still barely believing what I was seeing. He spoke again, he spoke of ascending to Heaven to be with our Father, he told me not to hold on to him, but to tell the disciples of all he had said. I ran back to the city,my feet barely touching the ground, the words "He has risen, he has risen echoing in every step I took. My heart felt like it would burst with the joy and love that filled it the moment he spoke my name. I threw open the door to the room where the disciples had gathered. They were huddled together in the corner still lost in their grief and bewilderment of the events they witnessed that morning. I walked over to them, and with voice filled with happiness I spoke the words,"I have seen the Lord
