Gospel JN 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene 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 went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.
Reflection:
It would be easy to become distracted by the differences in the gospels over the story of Mary of Magdalene encountering the Risen Jesus.
Matthew’s gospel tells us, “They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.”
Today, describing the same scene, John writes that Jesus said to Mary, “Stop holding on to me.”
Nether Matthew or John were present at the time so variances are to be expected.
The important point for me, and I think for all Christians, is that in each version Jesus tells Mary to go and tell others that he has risen.
Today’s gospel ends with Mary announcing to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord.”
Certainly Mary, having seen the Lord, is truly blessed.
But, I must remember that later in this same gospel, Jesus says to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Even not having seen the Lord, we do believe. And, like Mary, Thomas and the other apostles and disciples, we are called to go and witness through our words and service that “He has Risen.”
With each box spring assembled, each beautifully packaged set of dishes, every parcel of linens carefully arranged, every food box packed and every delivery made…the Risen Christ is proclaimed when we present the crucifix with the words: “This is the man who sent you the furniture.”
“The proclamation of the Gospel is for the poor first of all, for those who all too often lack what they need to lead a dignified life. To them first are proclaimed the glad tidings that God loves them with a preferential love and comes to visit them through the charitable works that the disciples of Christ do in his name. Go to the poor first of all: this is a priority.”
Pope Francis speaking on Mission 6/17/13