Beloved Mary Magdalene, you hurried to the Lord’s tomb early that morning to mourn Him, and you could not have imagined what would happen to you there. Your heart was filled with sorrow. Your beloved Lord had been taken from you and so cruelly put to death. Who could comfort you then?
You stood there and let your tears flow freely. But when you looked into the tomb, Scripture tells us: “And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’” (John 20:12).
Now you are more than puzzled! Where could your Lord be? And what do the two angels in white robes mean? Do they know where the Lord is? Why is He no longer in the place where they had buried Him?
And then you see someone else standing there! Who is that? The gardener? Can he tell you where Jesus is? Did he carry Him away? This man, too, asks you why you are weeping (John 20:15). Why are you being asked this? Everyone mourns those who have left them and whom they have loved.
But then you are addressed by name, and you recognize the voice: “Mary” (John 20:16). How often had you heard that voice? How often had it set your heart ablaze! No one could say your name like He did.
That intimacy of the Master’s love—He who knew her so well, before whom she had nothing to hide, who understood her better than she understood herself! It was Him! How was that possible?
But Mary Magdalene didn’t think twice. Her heart flew to Jesus. “‘Rabbo′ni’ (which means Teacher)” (John 20:16). There was no doubt in her mind. Love had swept everything away. It was the Lord. It was Him!
She would have gladly embraced Him with joy and spoken a thousand words from her heart to Him. But the Lord would not allow it: “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17a). How could she understand that? She didn’t have to. She would understand later.
And the Lord sent her to His disciples. She was to bear witness to what He had said about Himself:
“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17b).
So, dearest Mary Magdalene, everything changed for you on that one day. You were inconsolable over the death of your beloved Master. Now you are the messenger of His resurrection and proclaim: “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18).
He has turned your sorrow into joy, and the words from the Gospel of John have literally come true for you: “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22)
What can we take with us on our journey, dearest messenger of the Lord?
The encounter with the Risen One can also transform our sorrow into joy. We know: Death does not have the last word, but life does. Not sorrow, but joy. The joy of You, beloved God—now and forever. Thus we too become messengers of Christ’s resurrection. Alleluja.
Meditation on today’s reading: https://en.elijamission.net/2023/04/13/
Meditation on today’s Gospel: https://en.elijamission.net/2024/04/14/
