Meditation: On the Way, They Met Him

Texts:  Acts 10:34-43 and Matthew 28:1-10

Take a slow breath.

Let your body settle.

Let yourself arrive here, just as you are.

You do not need to have Easter figured out.

You do not need to force hope.

Just be here.

Just breathe.

The women in the Gospel do not go to the tomb expecting resurrection.

They go carrying grief.

They go carrying love.

They go simply to do the next thing they know to do.

And maybe that is where this story meets us.

Because so often, we do not know what comes next.

We simply carry what we are carrying

and try to take the next step.

So gently ask yourself:

What am I carrying today?

What feels heavy, uncertain, or hidden away?

Pause.

Now hear these words:

Do not be afraid.

Come and see.

Go and tell.

This is the rhythm of Easter.

Not certainty.

Not having it all together.

Just the next step.

And trust that Christ meets us on the way.

So ask yourself:

What is the next faithful step in front of me?

What is one small act of love, trust, or courage?

Pause.

And hear this too:

Jesus says, “Go to my brothers.”

Even after fear.

Even after failure.

Even after hiding.

The invitation remains open.

Pause.

Rest for a moment in this truth:

You do not have to have it all figured out.

You do not have to force resurrection.

Christ meets people on the way.

Even here.

Even now.

Even you.

As you return to your day, carry this prayer with you:

Holy One,

you know what I carry.

You know my grief, my fear, my questions,

and the places where I have hidden myself away.

Help me take the next step.

When I am afraid,

be my courage.

When I am uncertain,

be my peace.

When I want to give up,

help me take the next step.

And when I cannot see the way ahead,

help me trust that your life is already at work in me.

Amen.