The Promise

“Mary, why are you crying so?”

“Where are you? I can hear you, but I can’t see you.”

“Over here. Turn around.”

“It’s so good to hear your voice again, to see you, to be with you, to be able to hold you again.... I was afraid I had lost you. I was with you when they tortured you; when they crucified you; when they took you down from the cross; when they buried you—and I’m here now. Through all that, even though I never left your side, I felt you slipping away. I felt that I was losing you. I’m still afraid I’ve lost you. Don’t leave me.”

“Believe me when I tell you that I could feel you with me every step of the way. I knew you were with me. Also believe me when I tell you that I would love to hold you to prove to you that I am here...that I am real…. but I can’t do that right now— but I am here. I am real. I kept my promise to you. I will always be with you. Now, go tell the others that I have returned.”

“I don’t want to leave you. I want to stay in your presence. I want to stay with you. I want to follow you wherever you go. You know that is all I want to do—to be with you. I don’t want to leave your side, ever again.”

“I know that, but you can’t follow me this time. I must go on by myself, but I will return again. Believe me when I tell you that we will always be together. I will never leave you alone. But now, I need you to go and tell the others that I have returned.”

“Don’t send me away! I want to be with you. I don’t care about anything else. Besides, it is waste of time to send me to tell them. They may not even let me in. They’ve locked themselves up in the Upper Room. They are afraid for themselves. The world has turned against us. Even if they do let me in, they will not listen to me. They will think I’ve gone mad—that in my grief, I only imagined you. No. It is waste of time to send me to tell them. Let me follow you and be with you instead. They won’t believe me. They will just laugh at me and pity me. I am but a weak, fragile woman to them. They do not see me; they do not hear me; they will not believe me. No. They will not believe your news coming from me. Let me stay with you. They will not believe me.”

“Ah, I understand….but go and try anyway…for me… and Mary?”

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Do you believe in me?”

“I love you. Of course, I believe in you!”

“Ah….Then all I went through was not in vain…..and, Mary?”

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Promise me that you’ll always love me and believe in me. Promise me that you won’t let them forget me.”

“I will always love you and believe in you. I will not let them forget you….and, Lord?”

“Yes, Mary.”

“Promise me the same.”

“I will always love you, always believe in you, and will never forget you. I will always be with you.”