Easter Journey

It is all too easy to allow the familiarity we have with the Easter accounts in the Gospels to stop us from taking time to reflect on the death, burial and resurrection of our Saviour. This short series of devotions really helped me to stop and do just that. Each daily reading starts with a passage from Scripture and a heading to get us thinking, and finishes with a reflection, helpfully bringing what we have read to bear on our own lives today. One example - the ‘Not me!’ heading on Day 10 where we read of Peter’s denial and his devastation at denying His Lord, and the reflection on the look of love that the Saviour gave him at that moment. Julia helpfully points to the parallel accounts in the other Gospels as an optional extra at the end of each daily reading.

Dotted throughout the book are poems written by Julia’s daughter Libby. I found it very moving to read these (often a few times, and I found reading them aloud very helpful), and they were a real aid to my reflections.

Here are twenty-two daily readings from the conclusion of Christ’s ministry, to the period following His resurrection. Each chapter is of about three pages. In six instances, there is a concluding poem by the author’s daughter. Each meditation to Day 16 ends with an optional extra of parallel readings to those already given.
The journey begins with the preparations for the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, focussing upon the reason for the colt: “The Lord needs it.” This is followed by various events in Holy Week, such as Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, Peter’s denial, the crucifixion, and Christ’s burial (Day 14).
The main part of Day 14 concerns the events following Jesus’ death as recounted in Matthew 27:50-66. Joseph of Arimathaea receives a passing mention (p.61); and the chapter concludes with the religious leaders’ request for a guard at the tomb. At this point, one felt that the distinctive part played by Joseph of Arimathaea required further consideration. The reasons are that light is also cast upon Nicodemus [John 19:38-42]; moreover, Joseph’s visit to Pilate, who enquired carefully whether Jesus was already dead [Mark 15:42-45], constitutes excellent evidence for refuting the absurd suggestion that is sometimes heard nowadays that Christ “swooned” rather than died.

Of all Christ’s resurrection appearances, the road to Emmaus (Day 17), followed by His appearance to the main body of the disciples, has been the subject of many sermons. This is partly because of Thomas’s absence. There is, in fact, a further reading that has significance over and above the two given in this book. It is Mark 16:12 &13. It lacks the detail of Luke 24:13-35; yet it fills the time gap between Luke 24:35 & 36. Moreover, it answers the question posed on page 80 that Cleopas and another may have asked the assembled disciples before Christ appeared: “Do you believe?” The answer is: they didn’t believe them. Mark 16:13 effectively says so. This is borne out by the extent that Jesus went to convince them, underlined especially by Luke 24:37-43, which the author acknowledges.
The chapter then turns to Thomas (pp. 81-82), whom all too many people single out as “Doubting Thomas”; but this is not so here. Instead, attention is drawn to Thomas’s response to Jesus when he saw Him: “My Lord and my God.”
This is a broad outline of this book, which may well constitute a suitable Christmas present for someone.