The Gospel of John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So, she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 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 returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Let us Pray: “Heavenly Father, just as You revealed the truth to Peter, open my heart and mind to understand Your will. Help me to see You clearly and follow You faithfully. Amen.”
How many times have we heard the Gospels of Easter Morning. We all think we understand the stories the gospel is telling us, but what is the gospel really telling us and are we really listening as it is read on Easter morning? This portion of John’s gospel is a play that unfolds in three distinctive acts: a story about people searching, about sadness and fear, about action, surprise, and joy. And it is a story that takes us full circle back to the beginning. A beginning that started with searching and an end the ends with still searching but searching with joy in her heart.
We all experience that in life we are searching for something. In this gospel Mary is searching, she is searching for her Lord who seems to have disappeared, naturally she is devastated, so she seeks refuge with other disciples who she hopes has answers. They all run to the tomb. Unfortunately, after they get there and see the empty tomb, they don’t have any answers so the two go home. There are no shouts of joy, no celebration. The emptiness of the tomb does not seem yet to have made a difference. It gives us an opportunity to think many people today will not be feeling joy, hope, or certainty this Easter morning it will be too many like they are looking into an empty tomb. They won’t have any answers, so they sort of become invisible.
So, Mary is left alone at the tomb, left alone in her sadness and fear that the body has been stolen. She is standing alone in her grief, she has lost her teacher, her friend and her Lord. She stands there weeping. Finally, she repeats the question once again to a man she believes is the gardener. “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Then, Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She recognized Jesus as he spoke. Her understanding that the person standing before her could be that John is giving us clues as to how we might understand what has happened. John’s gospel, encouraging us to view this not as the end of the story but as a new beginning. As Mary was searching Jesus says to her “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Do these words speak to us as they did to Mary, how often do we wonder why we weep and what are we looking for? How often we can’t find solace because we look in the wrong place, we look into an empty tomb not into a flourishing garden where Jesus stands to ask as why do you weep and what are you looking for? This Easter we know the tomb is empty, we know that Jesus stands with us in the garden and that all we have to do is reach out and follow in his footsteps.
Let us Pray: “Jesus, You turned sorrow into joy when You revealed Yourself to Mary. In moments of doubt or despair, remind me that You are always near, bringing light into my darkness. Lord, as You sent Mary to proclaim Your resurrection. Give me the courage and wisdom to share Your love and truth with others, that they too may know the joy of Your salvation. Amen.”
Reflections by Bob 