The first apostle is not who is expected at all – Mary, a woman, a so-called ‘unreliable’ witness is charged by Jesus to go and tell the news that he is risen! Their first encounter with each other is a beautiful moment, in coming to the tomb she did not in any way expect to go away joyful and yet an encounter with Jesus changes all of that. The risen Jesus transforms everything and from this encounter and from the responsibility given to Mary we see how much things are turned on their head when Jesus is involved – the least likely, the least expected, suddenly not so ‘least’ anymore. Are there places in our lives that we do not expect joy from? How can we resurrect expectation and hope in Jesus again in those places? Do we feel like we’re the least likely ones, the unexpected, the unwanted, the halted one, how can Jesus resurrect hope and permission for us? Or perhaps we need to be the ones who believe and listen to the unexpected messengers and who make space for those who are the ‘least likely’ to flourish.