The greatest message of hope is not found in the crucifixion but in the empty tomb. When Mary arrived on that first Easter morning she found the stone rolled away and two angels standing inside. One turned to her and said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen” - Luke 24:5-6
Like Mary, each of us will face the loss of a loved one. One does not live long without experiencing the sorrow that comes with death and the longing for a glorious reunion. The miracle of the empty tomb is not just that He rose, but that because He did we will too. Each of us will leave our own empty tombs and be reunited with those we love.
It is the promise and hope of our own glorious resurrections that we hear in those angelic words, “He… is risen.”