The Women
©1993 Susan Noyes Anderson, Star Light, Star Books, Inc.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905)
They came to do Him honor,
weary-faced, and
stonily,
their footsteps traced
the path
to where He lay.
The day of His
entombment
still played starkly
in their minds.
Memory paraded through,
poignant, uninvited, yet
too new, too real
it’s trespass
to deny.
And so, unable to
forget their sorrow,
they acknowledged it
and sought to do Him
honor
paying tribute to
His grave.
His blemished body
they’d anoint
with oils and spices
for a King,
for such was He
and so deserved
their ministering.
As they approached
His lowly crypt,
the women were
distressed
and wept
to see the sepulchre
had been
disturbed.
For lo, the stone was
rolled away,
His body gone
and in its place
an angel,
and the women
were afraid.
“Why seek ye the living
among the dead?” …
These are the words the
angel said.
The women, full of fear,
answered Him not,
nor understood.
But his next words
their trembling stilled,
and filled their hearts
with wondrous good
and joy
beyond capacity to feel.
“He is not here
for He is ris’n,
tell it to all men…
He is not here,
for He is ris’n
again!”
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Tags: atonement, Bible, Christ, Christ's tomb, Easter, faith, Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, resurrection, sacrifice, salvation, The Women
