Surely there was no misery like this. Her Lord and truly beloved had been killed in front of her eyes and was dead and buried… The end of the game… He broke his word.

She so trusted in him and believed in the new life forever with him, but look how it ended- agony, loneliness and death.

As she walked to the tomb early on Sunday morning her thoughts consumed her and the circular mind processes, leading downward into the grave, had taken hold. In the darkness, not even the light of the waning moon helped to brighten the scene.

The dark silhouette of a figure walked towards her.

Instantly she suspected the worst. This was a soldier, stealing away the body of her Lord. Her mind raced- How could he! – the corpse was all she had left – had he no pity..!

He stopped, just out of arms length… “Mary” he said. Before the last syllable had struck the air, she knew. She sank to the earth and stretched out glad hands to grasp his feet.

“Not yet, Mary, I will see my Father first.”

The joy Mary felt at that moment never left her again. He had kept his promise and He was who she knew Him to be. It was then she realised all the words He had spoken to her before that awful day, and the realisation of their truth and power pervaded her soul. She saw His grace, that even in the intonations of His familiar voice, brought peace and an overwhelming joy.

Everything was now different and different forever.

She didn’t need to hold on to Him, He was right with her all along…