The Thursday within the Octave of the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Posted on April 24, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 28:1-8 (NKJV)
28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
Devotion
The angel of the Lord had no word for the soldiers who guarded the tomb, and their reaction at the sight of the angel—“the keepers did shake, and became as dead men”—is what happens when an angel does not begin with the words, “Fear not.”
For the soldiers, the appearance of the angel of the Lord was pure Law: his arrival was an anticipation of the judgment. The flesh has no answer to the Lord’s judgment. They became as dead men, for they were not at peace with God.
For the women, there is a two-fold word of peace. First, the women are delivered from any dread at the appearance of an angel: “Fear not ye…” Second, the angel proclaims the Christ’s victory: “…for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” As an angel once announced the birth of the Christ, now the angel of the Lord announces His resurrection. There is consolation for the women, and for all the Church, beginning with this angelic proclamation.
Collect: Almighty God, Who, through Thine Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech Thee, that, as Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
