Molly Fernandes
In the Catholic Church, Easter Monday is also called "Monday of the Angel" in relation to the announcement of the Resurrection of Jesus. While, in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches, this day is called "Bright Monday" or "Renewal Monday".
Bright Monday - to signify the joy and celebration after Easter Sunday and Renewal Monday - emphasizes the renewal of life and the start of a new season following the resurrection of Jesus.
One of the most touching moments of the resurrection story unfolds when Mary Magdalene visits the tomb early in the morning (John 20:11-18). Her heart is heavy with grief as she approaches, determined on anointing Jesus’ body. But instead, she finds the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. In her despair, she encounters a man she initially mistakes for the gardener. When He calls her by name, saying, “Mary,” she suddenly recognises Him.
Overcome with emotion, Mary moves closer to Him. Yet Jesus gently tells her, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17)
This moment captures the essence of Easter Monday. While Mary’s instinct is to remain with Jesus, He reminds her that the resurrection is not only for her but for the humanity. Jesus commissions her to share the good news with His disciples, entrusting her with the first announcement of His resurrection (Mission).
Easter Monday invites us to step into Mary Magdalene’s shoes - to carry the message of hope and renewal to others. The resurrection is not just an event to be celebrated but a truth that transforms how we live. It challenges us to express Christ’s love in our daily lives, serving as His witnesses in both word and action.
In this sense, Easter Monday becomes a bridge between celebration and mission. It calls us to reflect deeply on the meaning of the resurrection and to live out its message in our relationships, communities, and work.
Mary’s encounter with the risen Jesus also speaks to those who have experienced loss or uncertainty. At the tomb, her sorrow turns to joy, as she realises that Jesus has defeated death. This transformation echoes the message of Easter that even in our darkest moments, the resurrection promises hope and new beginnings.
This hope is beautifully expressed in Paul’s words: “Death has been swallowed up in victory... Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Easter Monday reminds us that the victory of life over death is not only a theological truth but a living reality that sustains us through life’s challenges.
When Jesus instructs Mary to tell His disciples, He adds that they will meet Him in Galilee - a place that holds deep significance in His ministry. Galilee symbolises both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of life. It is the region where Jesus performed miracles, taught crowds, and entrusted His mission to them.
For us, “Galilee” represents the spaces where we live and serve - our homes, workplaces, and communities. Easter Monday encourages us to find Christ in ‘our Galilee’ in the everyday moments of life, recognizing His presence in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary.
It encourages us to renew our commitment to living out the resurrection. This involves acts of kindness, compassion, and justice, leaving our comfort zones and to step out into the world, carrying the message of hope, forgiveness, and grace.
Let us meet Jesus in “our Galilee”, in the spaces where we live, love, and serve and carry forward the light of His Resurrection, Hope and Mission.