Station 15: Missioned by Jesus
Jesus said, “Mary!” She turned around then and said to him in Hebrew, “Rubbuni!” – which means Master. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find my brothers and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my god and your God.” So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” and that he has said these things to her.
John 20:36 - 38
Reflection: The long and perhaps sleepless night was hardly over when Mary of Magdala set out to return to the tomb. For Mary, there was no question but that she must be as near as possible to her Lord; if he was dead, then she must be near his body.
She found the tomb empty. She stood there weeping, until someone whom she believed to be the gardener asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Only when she heard her name did she recognize the speaker, her Lord.
What incredible joy! Her first impulse was to throw her arms around him and never let him go. Gently, Jesus tells her to let go, not to cling to his sensible, consoling presence, not to hang on to what has been. He invites her, indeed missions her, to go and find the other disciples, now fearfully gathered in the upper room, and to tell them who she has seen, Jesus Risen, and to tell them what Jesus has told her.
Long a disciple of Jesus in his public life, faithful to Jesus in his passion, present at the foot of the cross, Mary is sent, on Easter morning, to bring the good news to the Eleven. Mary of Magdala is the first to tell others the good news of the resurrection.
And in Mary every baptized woman recognizes her own mission to carry the Good News to the whole church and to the whole world. By our lives we are called to witness to the joyful news that, indeed, every tomb is empty, that Jesus lives.
John 20:36 - 38
Reflection: The long and perhaps sleepless night was hardly over when Mary of Magdala set out to return to the tomb. For Mary, there was no question but that she must be as near as possible to her Lord; if he was dead, then she must be near his body.
She found the tomb empty. She stood there weeping, until someone whom she believed to be the gardener asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Only when she heard her name did she recognize the speaker, her Lord.
What incredible joy! Her first impulse was to throw her arms around him and never let him go. Gently, Jesus tells her to let go, not to cling to his sensible, consoling presence, not to hang on to what has been. He invites her, indeed missions her, to go and find the other disciples, now fearfully gathered in the upper room, and to tell them who she has seen, Jesus Risen, and to tell them what Jesus has told her.
Long a disciple of Jesus in his public life, faithful to Jesus in his passion, present at the foot of the cross, Mary is sent, on Easter morning, to bring the good news to the Eleven. Mary of Magdala is the first to tell others the good news of the resurrection.
And in Mary every baptized woman recognizes her own mission to carry the Good News to the whole church and to the whole world. By our lives we are called to witness to the joyful news that, indeed, every tomb is empty, that Jesus lives.
Photo used under Creative Commons from ethnosax
