Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 20, 1-2; 11-18

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”

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.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where 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.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going 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 then reported what he told her.

Mary Magdalene, from sinner to missionary

1. It was still dark.  In life there are moments when we can’t see things so well. There are situations when not everything is evident, when you can’t see distinctly, but you know that something is going on. There are things that are not clear in your heart or in your head. In moments like that, it is good to learn to wait and to observe, and to try to find clarity, even when walking through darkness. Mary Magdalene had a broken heart, but she kept walking towards the place where the Person who had changed her life had been laid.  Today, I invite you to keep on walking, even if your heart and hope have been shattered. Look for Jesus, the One who changed you and changes your life. 

2. She ran back. This shows a combination of emotion, love and surrender. Mary tells others about this encounter with Jesus and that leads her to become an announcer. She then goes out and proclaims. If you’ve met Jesus, go out because there are many who still don’t know that Christ is alive and wants to fill us with his love.

3. “Rabbouni”.  Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus when He says her name and she replies from the  relationship she had with her Master. The personal relationship you have with God allows you to recognize God in others. Mary goes out and proclaims. She shows that Jesus is alive, and she shows us that every sinner can become a witness of love and a messenger of life and hope. Don’t stand there looking at what people accuse you of or say about you. Keep looking at the risen Christ, go out and proclaim.  

Remember that something good is on the way!

God bless you and be with you, in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.