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: On this radiant morning of resurrection, we stand in the light that no darkness can overcome. The stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and your victory over death echoes through all creation. Break open our hearts as you broke open the grave. Where we carry fear, breathe your peace. Where we cling to sorrow, sow your joy. Where we feel trapped or weary, call us by name as you called Mary in the garden. Raise us into the newness you promise — new courage, new compassion, new imagination for what life in you can be. Let your resurrection power move through our homes, our communities, and every place longing for renewal. Make us witnesses of hope that cannot be silenced, bearers of mercy that refuses to give up, and servants of love that mirrors your own self-giving love. Alleluia, Christ is risen! May our lives proclaim it with boldness and grace. Amen.
The Four Evangelists—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are credited with writing the Gospels that narrate the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The term “evangelist” comes from the Greek word meaning “one who proclaims good news,” reflecting their role in spreading the message of Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are collectively known as the Synoptic Gospels because they share similar content and structure, while John’s Gospel is distinct in its theological focus on Christ’s divinity. All four of the Gospels narrate the women’s encounter at the empty tomb, in Matthew and Mark, instruct them to tell the other disciples that Jesus has been raised from the dead. In Luke 24:9, the women immediately proclaim the news. In Matthew’s telling, the women are greeted by the risen Jesus.
The heart of this passage is simple yet seismic: The risen Christ comes first to the one who stayed, the one who wept, the one who sought Him even when she did not understand. Mary Magdalene becomes the first witness of the Resurrection not because she was the most powerful, but because she was the most present. John is deliberate: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark…” Mary walks into the darkness carrying grief, but she is walking. This darkness captures the spiritual state of the disciples and Mary. Resurrection begins before anyone is ready for it and often begins in the dark long before we see the light. It symbolizes God is beginning creation anew. Remember the Easter Gospels are a story of faith and love. Mary does not flee like the others. She remains at the tomb, weeping. Her tears are not a sign of weakness; they are the doorway reflecting her faith and love. Mary’s endurance teaches us love stays even when hope seems gone. That God often meets us in the places we refuse to abandon. Her grief becomes the reason that resurrection joy will bloom. As Mary stood in her grief, God recognized her tears and even though Mary mistook Jesus as the gardener, the voice of God called to her by name. “Mary” This is the turning point of the entire passage. Recognition comes not through sight but through relationships. Jesus as The Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name, and they know His voice. In a world of noise, the risen Christ still speaks our names as He spoke Mary’s name to awaken us to His calling. In His encounter at the tomb with Mary Jesus does not explain the resurrection; He personalizes it. .“Do Not Hold On to Me”. Jesus’ words to Mary are not rejection but invitation. He is saying now you cannot cling to the old way of knowing Me. Mary must release the Jesus she knew to receive the Christ who is now Lord of all. This is the spiritual challenge of resurrection: letting go of what was so we can receive what is becoming. Jesus entrusts Mary by telling her: “Go to my brothers and say to them…”, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. Mary’s message is not abstract theology; it is relational revelation:
“I have seen the Lord.”
Christian faith begins not with doctrine but with encounter. As she became the first preacher of the resurrection as an apostle of Christ.
Let us Pray: Risen Christ, You come to us in the quiet hours, in the places where grief lingers and hope feels thin. Speak our names with the tenderness You showed Mary, that we may recognize Your presence even when we do not understand. Give us the courage to release what we cling to, so we may receive the new life You are bringing. Make us faithful witnesses of Your resurrection— not only in words, but in lives transformed by love. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 