|
Alleluia! He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Have you ever thought that things were really bad in your life, when what was actually occurring was God’s miracle for you? Well, in today’s gospel reading from John, Mary Magdalene was right smack in the middle of a miracle, but she couldn’t see it. She couldn’t see it, because she was crying!
Jesus had told his followers many times that He had to die, but that He would come back! Apparently Mary forgot all of that when she went to the tomb. She is so upset that she runs and tells Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
What we are not told in this reading is that Peter and John along with the other disciples are in hiding. They are too afraid to go past their locked doors, let alone go to visit Jesus’ tomb, but something happens to them when Mary tells them about the empty tomb. They take off running!
The scripture tells us that when they saw the empty tomb they believed. Now we would like to believe that they remembered at this point that Jesus was going to rise from the dead, but that is not the case! They believe Mary’s story that Jesus’ body has been stolen. John writes, “Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” Then the disciples after confirming Mary’s story went back to their homes and probably locked their doors again. After all, if the authorities are brazen enough to steal Jesus’ body, what would they do to Jesus’ followers?
Now Mary is left alone at Jesus’ empty tomb. She is sadder than ever. The scriptures tell us that she goes into the empty tomb. How many here think Mary went in there to praise God for raising Jesus from the dead? Mary went in there to grieve. She wants to be where her Rabbi was the last time she saw him. This is a normal human reaction. However, Mary is in for a surprise.
How many here know that when we least expect it, God intervenes and shows us His love? This is what happens to Mary. Mary is greeted by two angels. We are not told why the men did not see the angels, but Mary does. In fact, they even speak to her. The scripture reads, “They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?”
Now that seems like a strange question to Mary, can’t they see how bad the situation is? Have you ever heard God ask you in what you think is a terrible time in your life, why are you crying? Mary is looking at a miracle, but not seeing it! She is even given divine help and she still doesn’t see the truth!
So what happens next? Jesus shows up! Jesus has promised to be with us always. No matter what is happening in our lives, we are not alone. Jesus is right there with us.
Mary gets to be the first person to see the Resurrected Jesus and she doesn’t even recognize Him! Mary thinks that Jesus is the gardener! I just wonder how many times Jesus has spoken to us and we did not even realize that it was Him. Instead, we just kept on looking at the negative side of things and not seen the miracle right before our very eyes!
It is only when Jesus calls Mary by her name that she realizes it is Jesus! Jesus tells in the scriptures that His followers know His voice. Apparently, sometimes He has to be very direct with us, but eventually we do hopefully get the message. The message that Jesus wants Mary to hear and share is that He is Alive!
Jesus tells Mary, “Go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Jesus has done the impossible! He has risen from the dead! Death could not hold Him. Jesus has conquered sin and death. He has paid the price to set us free.
Through Christ’s Resurrection we have been given eternal Life! We have become more than conquerors! In Christ, we are Resurrected People!
| 
