April 5, 2026

A Mother’s Heart at Easter

I am thinking this morning about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and how she must have hurried to the tomb that Sunday morning after the Crucifixion, grieving and simply operating in her sorrow.  Perhaps she went early.  And alone.

Jesus was an unusual child from the beginning.  Starting from the moment an angel announced she was to bear God’s son.  And then, what other mother had to entertain shepherds and sheep while angels sang in the heavens.  Hormones after giving birth can skyrocket and she still had to care for this unique baby boy.  Then the three wise men showed up with gifts so valuable they would provide for the family’s needs for a lifetime.

Jesus was different.  She realized that.  He was a good and obedient son, easily sharing toys and snacks. And then, angels appeared again and told the family to flee.  Herod was out to kill all the baby boys.  Every time Mary found a normal pace of life something happened to remind her her child was actually the Son of God.

Even when things did calm down, she would find Jesus studying or heading for the temple.  And then there was that time they went to pay taxes and He disappeared.  It was only heading home she realized He wasn’t with them.  When she found Him teaching in the temple she had to sense she was rapidly losing her time with Him.

So she ran to the tomb that Easter morning with the pulsing heart of a mother. She had survived the crucifixion.  She had no idea how.  She nodded to her Son when He told John, “Behold your mother.”  She watched Him take His last breaths.  She had been on automatic, her tears leaving her empty and broken.

Can you imagine when she saw the stone rolled away?  Like us, she might have wondered what the government was up to now.  When would enough be enough?  She entered the tomb and saw His body wasn’t there.

She knew.  She knew Jesus was alive.  He’d tried to tell them this would happen. He had promised Salvation, life everlasting, and the forgiveness of sins.  Everything she’d believed about Him was true. He was exactly who God had promised.

A wave of peace washed over her.  This empty tomb would change the world forever.  Jesus was alive!