After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you."

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

It is said the three best phrases of the English language are: "Everything is okay," "The war is over," and "Christ is Risen."

Sitting and waiting by an operating room for the surgeon to give a cancer diagnosis or waiting for a telephone call from a son or daughter who has just been in a car accident gives us extreme anxiety. We worry! We fret! We pray! And then the words come, "Everything is okay." And with those words - life is renewed and joy returns.

As the warm summer sky brought harvests across America in late summer 1945, thousands of moms and dads, wives and sweethearts, shouted the great words to each other, "The war is over." They knew what that meant! Life is renewed and joy returns.

When the women, dazed and confused by the events of Holy Week, went to the tomb, they expected death. Instead they found life! "Christ Is Risen." The center of the Easter message rings as true and as exciting as it did two millennia ago - Christ is Risen! Life is renewed and joy returns.

May you be surrounded with joy this day, and may Christ enfold you into his never failing love, putting a smile on your face!