No cock crowed and no birds chirped, only the
scent of the new day. The women made their way to the tomb, wondering
aloud who would roll the stone away so they could honor the body of
their beloved with the spices and ointment they had prepared. Their
steps quickened as their hearts swelled up with tenderness for the one
who had loved them unreservedly.
But
when they reached the tomb, the stone was rolled away and it was empty.
Fear fraught their minds. Tears welled up in their eyes—and through the
tears they saw what they couldn’t conceive: He was alive!
If
apostles are those who are witnesses to Jesus’ life, death and
resurrection, these women were the first apostles. This account is seen
in all four Gospels, with few variations.
All speak of women
standing at the foot of the cross, watching the body being laid in the
tomb, and being the first to witness the emptied tomb and presence of
the Resurrected One.
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