As Easter dawns, we welcome the new day with the stirring word from the Letter to the Romans. The Apostle Paul describes how those who follow Jesus await their resurrection with eager anticipation. This assurance is underwritten by the Gospels’ memory of Jesus’ own resurrection, where early on the first day of the week, Jesus Christ is shown raised from the dead.

Mary Magdalene’s approach to Jesus’ tomb that first Easter morning is a journey straight into the reality of human suffering and misery. Her reaction to the scene is familiar. Like Mary, we are prone to chase immediate solutions when faced with emptiness rather than embracing the unfolding process of resurrection in all of creation, including our little lives.

Even saints struggle in times like that. Mother Teresa once said: “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much!” How real is that? Take heart, you’re not alone if you’re still fighting a battle and waiting for your life to come right this Easter. You may feel pained, frustrated or discouraged, but don’t give in to despair. Today we hear good news: Mary’s despair, your despair, and the groaning of all creation, find their answer in the unchanging, steadfast love of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is God’s down payment on a new future of the cosmos, and your life. It is a testament to God’s steadfast love and final claim over all things.