Mary's Joy and Ours

 John 20:11-18

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb

12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. 

 

Can we appreciate the depth of joy Mary Magdalene experienced when she recognized the voice of Jesus? Her sense of loss at the death of Jesus was compounded now by the absence of his body. It's no wonder that she who loved him so much, should be so distraught.  But not for long, hearing her name in a voice she knew so well reversed her anguish, as she expressed her joy by embracing Jesus.

May these Easter Octave days deepen our love for and confidence in our Risen Savior.  May we hear his voice call us by name, and may our fears and doubts be displaced by the Presence of the Risen Christ in our midst.

Bro. Rene  

 

 

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