Easter Sunday

Each Easter Sunday, I look to the women who remained with Jesus through his life, his work, his suffering and death. These are the women who never abandoned him. I recall their names, names that have so often been overlooked in our re-telling of Jesus’ life: Mary of Magdala, Salome, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, Joanna, Susanna, Martha, Mary of Bethany, and Mary the mother of Jesus. 

Scripture scholars like Dr Dorothy A. Lee tell us that there are three women who remain present with Jesus at the foot of the cross as he died, who prepare his body for burial, and go to pray for him at the tomb: Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome. These women steadfastly share the intimacy of Jesus’ death, in spite of their own fear, uncertainty and grief.

And their love, trust and service is rewarded in abundance.

At Easter Sunday, as the women go to pray at the tomb - the place where Jesus was buried - they discover that human death has not had the final word: that God’s love can restore to life even that which we have understood to be dead. They discover that Jesus is risen.

And yet, when the women went to tell the other disciples of what they had experienced, they were not believed:

‘They returned from the tomb and proclaimed all these things to the eleven and all the rest... and these words appeared to [the other disciples] as nonsense, and they did not believe them.’ (Luke 24: 9-11)

The community of disciples, once so loyal and close, is initially divided at Easter with some believing the story and witness of the women, and others continuing to hold to fear and despair, unable to believe and share in the joy and hope of new life. It is not until sometime later that the message of the women is believed by those around them.

The story of Easter Sunday is one of love and hope that gives rise to healing and life. This is the same love and hope that we endeavour to share with every person for whom we care at St John of God Health Care. Through our efforts each day, our actions both great and small, we seek to demonstrate care, love and compassion that brings about healing and hope in the life of others. This is how we continue in every action, every decision, every moment of care, every day, the healing mission of Jesus.

I am so proud that at St John of God Health Care we welcome caregivers and patients from every faith tradition and especially those who say “I’m not religious”. Our caregivers each play a vital role in the tradition of love and care that we look to continue at St John of God Health Care and we could not realise our mission without them.