May 9

Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. — Matt 28:9 BSB

The greeting the risen Lord gave His disciples on the morning of the resurrection was both stirring and full of meaning: "All hail!" This bright, radiant word is our greeting to His beloved children at the start of another day. It carries a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. "Hail" is actually a prayer for health. A thoughtful friend once pointed out that the word "hail" comes from the old Saxon word for health. We still use it in the term "hale and hearty."

So, the Lord’s greeting to His disciples was much like the greeting we use today: "How are you?" or "I wish you health." But Christ’s wish carries the power of a promise and command, like John’s benediction to Gaius: "I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health." Today, we echo this greeting to you, beloved, according to the fullness of the Master’s will.