To my mind, it is no accident or coincidence that it was at dawn on the first day of the week that the women made their way to the tomb of Jesus. Rev. Dr. Rob Craig, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, writes
It is, surely, profoundly symbolic that, as the sun was rising and a new day was beginning, a new world was dawning with the news that the grave is empty and that Jesus is risen.
Of course, like the slow and gradual dawn of our northern skies it took time for these women, and the other disciples, to digest the many implications of the resurrection of Jesus. They could no longer look at life and death in the same way. The empty tomb proved to be their place of transformation as it transformed their understanding of Jesus, His life, His teaching and His deathRed Evening Dresses.
Several years later the Apostle Paul used the same imagery and symbolism when he wrote “Wake up, O sleeper, and rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” He was certainly quoting from the prophet Isaiah, and perhaps from an early Christian hymn. Paul was giving his readers a wake-up call, summoning us to live our lives in the light of Christ’s resurrection.
Last weekend across all our congregations there were Easter services, which afforded us the opportunity to reflect on the Cross of Christ and to celebrate with joy the empty grave. May the new dawn of Easter strengthen our faith, our hope and our love.