©1993 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Star Light, Star Books, Inc.

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!”