The Triduum and its aftermath are a dizzying ride of careening and colliding emotions.  Hang on! Crushing defeat followed by dazed, growing comprehension of the meaning of an empty tomb, followed by explosive exultation.

One can only imagine all that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were thinking and feeling.  They are at once fearful (Isn't it too good to be true?  What does it all mean?  What if it is followed by another staggering reversal like that of Calvary?)  and overjoyed (The too-much-to-hope-for has somehow burst upon us!).  It would take them, and their incipient, fragile faith community some time to grasp the meaning of what has transpired.

Peter's Pentecost proclamation speaks to the inexorability of God's plan of salvation.  He lists the hardnesses of heart and daunting obstacles the plan encountered. 

It crashed through them all.

Citing David's psalm, he shows that this saving power has long been active in the history of the Chosen People.  The passage recalls another, from Isaiah:

Just as the rain and snow come down . . .  and do not return without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish . . . so is my Word that goes forth from my mouth:  it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire  and achieve the purpose for which I sent it . . .

This gives us great hope.  God's desire to call us back, to lead us away from our dead-end ways of thinking and living, and put us on a path to the Kingdom of heaven cannot be defeated, will not fail. 

We ride that tide; it is our grace and our destiny.

Hang on.