Easter Day

 

The Bristlecone Tree (thought to be the oldest living tree).
Photographed by John Chiara for the New Yorker Magazine.

"A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act."

– Mahatma Gandh

The Good News according to John, Disciple of Jesus- Chapter Twenty

As Sunday approached, Magda left the house in search of Jesus.  

She wasn't sure what to do, but thought she would try her luck at the mortuary.

When she got there, she found the doors open, and not a soul about.

 

The smell of disinfectant and rancid fat pervaded the gloom.

At last she found the refrigerated store.

Drawers the size of bodies lined the room from floor to ceiling.

On the far side, one drawer had been left open.

It was empty.  She let out a short scream.

There was the certificate of death that had been tied to Jesus’ foot.

 

Magda fled and ran back to find her friends.

She soon bumped into Peter and John who were coming towards her.

"The body’s gone!" she blurted out, as white as a sheet.

In an instant Peter and John took off.

They sprinted past Magda towards the mortuary.

 

John got there first and crashed in through the doors.

He found the empty drawer.

Rifling through emptiness,

Only Jesus' clothing and other bits remained.

"Madga's right, the body has been taken," acknowledged Peter.

"But where?"

It hadn't clicked that Jesus had told them already what to expect.

"No point in staying here."

-------------œ

Magda was in the street crying.  She looked back into the building and saw two people seated behind the reception desk. They called out to her.

 "What's upsetting you?"

 "The body of my dearest friend, has been taken, and I don't know where."

 A man was approaching her in the street. In vain she called out to him.

 "Do you know where he has been taken?" The man stopped and held out his arms.

 "Magda."

 She looked up, her eyes rising to his.

 "Padre!" she called out. She raced towards him; the briefest contact.

 "I'm not huggable yet," he smiled. "I'm here for now, but soon I will be returning to the Creator. Go and tell all our friends that I am alive."

 Wrenching herself away, she held this duty tight.

 "I have seen our Lord. That's why there is no body. He is alive." Gasping, she explained everything that had happened.

PRAYER:  Today balance is restored in the universe.  I am able to start living again.

"Christ the Lord is risen today, sons of men and angels say. Raise your joys and triumphs high; sing, ye heavens and earth reply."

– Charles Wesley