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I wonder, dearest Lord Jesus, why did you appear to Mary Magdalene on that Easter morning but not to Peter and John who also rushed to the scene?
Mary 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. (John 20:11-12)
It was the second time Mary Magdalene had come to your tomb that early morning; when she found it empty, she rushed to Peter; when they found it still empty, John believed and left with Peter but Mary remained and stayed, weeping, hoping to find your body, dearest Lord.
And the angels said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "they have taken my Lord, and I don't know whey 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. (John 20:13-16)
O sweet Jesus, forgive us when we fail to see you, when we miss you coming as we never stay long to await you in the empty tombs of our sadness and failures, broken dreams and disappointments and sickness; teach us to stay longer, to grieve in you, pour out in you our hurts and aches, pains and sorrows; like that Bride in the Song of Songs let us be intense in seeking you by patiently awaiting you, remaining in you that we may also say, "I had hardly left them when I found him whom my heart loves." (Song of Songs 3:4)
When love among friends and one another is real, surely our beloved would appear only on a higher, different level of recognition unlike before; this is the lesson we can glean from St. Mary Magdalene when Jesus called her by name, asking her to touch him not because at Easter we have been raised higher in Christ, much beloved than before. Let us answer your call, dear Lord, to proclaim your gospel to all despite the troubles we have had before. Grant us the courage to change our ways and follow you like St. Mary Magdalene who had remained pristine and clean assuring every sinner with a saintly future. Amen.
