Good morning, and a blessed Easter Tuesday.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” Amen.
Easter and Chapter are not simply events we mark on a calendar—they are moments. Living, grace-filled moments that invite us to pause, to listen, and to respond.
In today’s Gospel (John 20:11–18), Mary Magdalene stands in such a moment. She is caught between grief and hope, between what has been lost and what she cannot yet see. Yet she remains. She dares to show up—to stay present at the tomb when others have stepped back in fear. And then, in a deeply personal moment, the Risen Christ calls her by name: “Mary.”
Everything changes.
But her courage does not end there. It deepens. She is entrusted with a mission—“Go to my brothers…”—and she goes. Mary becomes the first preacher of the Resurrection, carrying Good News into a community still overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. She shows up, and then she goes and tells.
A moment becomes mission.
Our Chapter, too, is such a moment. Not just something we do, but a sacred pause in our life together—a moment rooted in our history and opening into hope. Our theme, “Preachers rooted in our history, facing forward in hope,” comes alive here. Because our history begins in that garden—with a woman of courage, called by name, sent to preach.
And across 150 years, we have lived that same pattern. We have shown up—with compassion, with fidelity, with love. And we have gone and told—not only with words, but with our lives. In classrooms and clinics, in prayer and in action, in moments of joy and in times of struggle, we have preached the Good News.
Like Mary, we know both parts of this call are essential. The courage to remain present—to stand in places of loss, uncertainty, and need. And the courage to go forth—to speak, to witness, to act, even when the way ahead is not fully clear.
The first reading (Acts 2:36–41) reminds us that transformation begins in such moments. Hearts are stirred, lives are changed, and people are sent in new directions by the power of the Spirit.
And so here we are—in this Easter moment, on the threshold of our Chapter moment.
Where are we being called to show up more fully?
Where are we being sent to go and tell?
If we listen deeply, we will hear our name spoken, as Mary did. And in that call, we will find the courage we need—not only to remain, but to go forth as preachers of the living Word.
May the Spirit break into our hearts. May we encounter the Risen Christ anew. And with courage and hope, may we continue to show up and to go and tell.
For it is in these moments that the Good News is lived and shared.
And with full hearts, may we join all creation in the Resurrection dance of joy and praise.
Sister Jeanne Shary, OP
Sister Jeanne serves as Communication Coordinator for the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill after a career in recreation therapy with various populations.