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.
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Reflection:
How
does it feel to lose a close friend? It feels like an important part of you had
been taken permanently away from you. This was how Mary Magdalene felt when she
was near the tomb of Jesus. She was forlorn, who would not be? Anyone who loses
somebody close to him/her would feel the same way.
In the
midst of her melancholy Jesus appeared to Mary and told 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 (John
20:17).
When
Jesus told Mary stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the
Father. Perhaps, Jesus wanted to tell Mary this: Let go of the memory of my
violent death for I have resurrected already. Instead announce the good news of
my resurrection which Mary did after Jesus appeared to her.
How
does this gospel speak to you? Do you feel Jesus speaking to you and telling you to
move and share the good news? To have courage to share His teachings through
your works and actions?
Humans
as we are we yield every once in a while to discouragement and sadness. Yet we
must not forget that Jesus has risen, that Jesus abiding presence is with us
and He walks with us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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