The same peace of the Risen Christ which calms the Christian’s fear, also takes the sting from his or her sorrow.  How surely did the awareness of his presence bring comfort to Mary Magdalene at the tomb that Easter morning.

That same experience has been repeated through the centuries in the lives of Christians who have been bereaved.  When earthly comfort has been of no avail, the knowledge of the nearness and understanding compassion of the Risen Christ has brought peace and consolation to the broken-hearted, for nothing can separate either ourselves or our faithful departed from his presence and his healing love.

And the same realisation has brought peace at the last to many Christian souls who approach the valley of the shadow of death in company with the Good Shepherd, who illuminates their path so that it becomes for them a valley of light, and there is nothing to be afraid of in that.

The classic example of this in the New Testament is the martyrdom of St Stephen who “…gazed into heaven and saw…Jesus standing at the right hand of God…While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’.  Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’  When he had said this, he died” – so closely and confidently did he follow in the steps of his Lord and Master (NRSV, Acts 7:55,59,60).