Reflection for April 7 Tuesday in the Octave of Easter: John 20:11-18

Gospel: John 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.

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Reflection:

Do we always recognize the manifestation of Jesus in our lives? In so many quiet and unexpected ways, He continually reveals Himself to us in our daily journey. Yet, how often do we pause, reflect, and truly discern His presence? We need only to open the eyes of our hearts, to become still, and to recognize that He has been with us all along.

There are moments when we lose our way and follow our own desires, choosing paths that lead us away from Him. We fall, we fail, and at times, we feel distant and unworthy. But even then, Jesus never abandons us. In His great love and mercy, He gently calls us back, straightens our path, and reminds us that we are never alone. He whispers hope into our hearts and invites us to trust in Him once more.

Like Mary of Magdala, we too experience moments of sorrow, confusion, and emptiness. She wept outside the tomb, believing that all was lost. But in the very moment of her deepest grief, Jesus revealed Himself to her. Her tears turned into joy, her despair into hope. And filled with this encounter, she ran to share the Good News: the Lord is alive.

In the same way, Jesus, our Rabboni—our Teacher—has risen and remains with us. He walks beside us in our struggles, speaks to us in silence, and reveals Himself in the ordinary moments of our lives. He is not distant; He is near—closer than we often realize.

As we continue our journey in this world, let us call upon His name with faith and humility. Let us ask Him to guide us, strengthen us, and remain with us, especially in times when we feel weak or lost. For even in the presence of trials and temptations, His grace is always greater, and His love is always enough.

In the midst of our daily struggles and distractions, are we truly seeking to recognize the living presence of Jesus among us—and when He reveals Himself, are we ready to listen, to trust, and to follow Him with all our hearts?—Marino J. Dasmarinas