Running With Joy, Standing in Truth

Monday in the Octave of Easter
Matthew 28:8–15

There’s a beautiful tension in today’s Gospel—one that feels surprisingly familiar to the spiritual life. Matthew tells us that the women at the tomb “went away quickly… fearful yet overjoyed.” What a phrase. It captures that holy mixture of awe, confusion, hope, and trembling that often accompanies moments when God breaks into our lives in ways we didn’t expect.

They run with joy because the tomb is empty. They tremble because nothing will ever be the same.

And right in the middle of that swirl of emotion, Jesus meets them. Not in the calm, not in the clarity, but in the "running". He greets them with a simple word—“Peace”—and sends them to share the news.

Meanwhile, the religious leaders scramble to cover up the truth. They craft a narrative, pay off the guards, and try to control the story. Fear leads them to cling to power, to hide, to manipulate.

Two responses to the Resurrection stand side by side: the openness of the women and the defensiveness of the leaders.

One runs toward truth, even when it’s overwhelming. The other runs from truth, even when it’s standing right in front of them.

Most of us know both impulses. Sometimes we’re ready to embrace God’s surprising grace. Other times we resist, preferring the safety of what we can control. But the Risen Jesus keeps showing up—on the road, in our uncertainty, in our mixed emotions—inviting us to trust that his life is stronger than our fear.

The women remind us that discipleship doesn’t require having everything figured out. It simply asks us to keep moving toward Jesus with trust and with hearts willing to be surprised.

You are invited to reflect today about where in your life do you feel “fearful yet overjoyed”—and how might Jesus be meeting you there? Are there places where you resist the truth God is revealing because it feels disruptive or uncomfortable?

Risen Lord,
meet me in the places where joy and fear mingle.
Give me the courage to run toward your truth,
even when it stretches me beyond what I know.
Free my heart from anything that
keeps me clinging to control,
and help me live as a witness to your life and love.
Amen.

This reflection was prepared with the assistance of CoPilot.