22-Jul-16

Gospel JN 20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.
Reflection:
Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2); Mary loved Our Lord. She was loyal to Him like no other.
Mary became one of Jesus' most faithful disciples, staying with Him even at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25)
In Jesus time, it was the custom to visit the tomb of the deceased for three days after burial.
Jesus was crucified and buried on a Friday, and Saturday was the sabbath when travel was forbidden.
So, early Sunday morning, Mary hurried to Jesus' tomb only to find that His body was not there.
I can't even begin to imagine what I would think if, upon visiting my brother's grave two days after his burial, I was to find the grave open and empty?
"So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
Peter and John left after examining the empty tomb. But, "Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping."
Such love and devotion.
Even after the other disciples had departed, Mary stayed alone, close to where Jesus' body had been laid.
She was helpless but still hoping against hope that somehow she could reunite with Jesus.
Most assuredly, that is when we too seek to reunite with Jesus, when we are feeling helpless and alone.
Just then Jesus appeared and told her: "......go to my brothers and tell them, I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
This, of course, is what Jesus wants of us: To go and tell others that He is with His God and our God.
He is calling each of us to do as Mary Magdalene did....to go into our world and tell all we meet that Jesus came to us when we were helpless and alone.
Let others know, "I have seen the Lord."
"Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you.” - - Tim Keller