Mary Magdalene!

John 20:1-2,11-18

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, “They took the Master from the tomb. We don’t know where they’ve put him.”

But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus’ body had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”

“They took my Master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they put him.” After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn’t recognize him.

Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”

She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”

Jesus said, “Mary.”

Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”

Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: “I saw the Master!” And she told them everything he said to her.

Food for Thought!

There is something peculiar in this Gospel Reading. Mary Magdalene was the first to see the face of the Risen Lord; she was the first to hear the voice of the Risen Jesus. Why? Because she was there at the Cross; because she had been there when he was laid in the tomb; because early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, she was there; and now she was there to receive love's reward; she was the first to know the joy of the Resurrection. Yes, Jesus knows how to reward his faithful: Jesus loves those who love him; Jesus rewards those who seek him.

Do you realize that where there's love there's understanding; that where there's care there understanding. The people we love are the people we understand best; the people we care about are the people we understand. If and when we love someone, we understand what they do and are going thru. If and when we hate someone we hate all they do and represent; their deeds look to us as evil, even good deeds.

It is true. Mary, a woman, went and told them, the men. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, “They took the Master from the tomb. We don’t know where they’ve [the men] put him.” This is strong food for thought for all of us on the role of women in men's faith and role of women in the Church.

The women that have discovered Christ, are and can tell us, men about Jesus. Thanks to Mary Magdalene that Simon Peter and the other disciple of Jesus came to know of the empty tomb of the risen Jesus. Ladies, don't be afraid to tell us about Jesus; don't be afraid to be our Mary Magdalenes. We need you.