Words by Joel Goodlet, Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB)
On the very first Easter Sunday, John’s gospel tells us that a woman called Mary Magdalene was alone in the empty tomb where Jesus had been buried.
Two of Jesus’ more famous male followers have found the tomb empty, inspected the folded burial clothes and left with a story they don’t yet understand.
Mary can’t leave. John tells us that she walks into the tomb with tears in her eyes.
When the risen Jesus appears and calls her name, he stands between her and the world she has left behind to grieve him. She turns. In a society that didn’t accept women as legal witnesses, the Bible tells us God chose Mary as the first witness of the resurrection.
This year our TV screens and social media feeds have been filling up with news of violence and abuses of power. The peace of a struggling planet seems fragile. Perhaps you’ve felt like Mary. Perhaps you’ve turned your back on the world. Perhaps this Easter feels like a time of grief.
At UDB, we believe Easter Sunday’s story.
What Mary discovered remains true today. The hidden and the hurting have not been overlooked. There is a reason to turn your gaze back out to the world. It’s worth letting the sunrise show you how this day might look more hopeful.
There are so many sad, terrifying stories all around us in 2026. But there is another story, too. There is a hope that outlasts them all.
Happy Easter!
For more on Urban Devotion Birmingham visit www.urbandevotion.org/
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