Mary Magdalene at the Open Tomb

                “My dear beloved Lord, as we focus on Mary Magdalene today, my heart cries out to her. I see her heading to Your tomb in the early hours of the morning before the sun had risen. The cool air of dawn surrounds her as she walks in the darkness both outside and inside her heart. She is burdened with deep sorrow at the loss of her beloved Jesus who saved her from her life of sin. That sorrow weighs heavily on her, bowing her head and making each step to the tomb heavy and slow. She doesn’t know what she seeks, just some sense of comfort by being near His body laid in the tomb.

                “As she approaches, her deep sorrow and sense of loss is intensified at the sight of the open tomb. Not only did they take His life, but now they have even taken His body. She hesitates in confusion and then runs in anguish to the empty tomb. She sobs, ‘Where is He? Where have they taken Him?’ She peers inside looking for some clue and sees the angels in white. That sight doesn’t ease her sadness. They ask her why she is weeping. She explains, ‘They have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have laid him, (Jn 20:13).’ I can feel her anguish. She looks around and then sees Jesus standing but she doesn’t recognize Him. Thinking He is the gardener, she begs Him for help, ‘Sir, if you carried Him away, tell me where you laid Him and I will take Him, (Jn 20:15).’ Finally, Jesus reveals Himself to her when He calls her by name, ‘Mary.’ At that moment, she cries out ‘Rabbouni,’ which means teacher in Hebrew. She is in awe, confused but filled with joy and peace. She no longer questions, she just believes and He instructs her to go share this news with the disciples, to tell them, ‘I am going to My Father and your Father, to my God and your God, (Jn 20:17).’

                 “But You also tell her not to touch You as she reaches out to You. Why do You tell her not to touch You? I would want to reach out to You, to touch You in that moment. Does that mean we try to hold on to things before Your work is completed? Do we let our own selfish desires for comfort get in the way of Your work? Your Plan? Are we so impatient to satisfy our immediate need for You that we can’t wait for the whole plan to materialize?

                “Oh dear Lord, help me to be patient. Help me to be content to walk with You on the journey, yet be able to let You leave and do what You must to complete Your plan of salvation. Help me remember that You are always with us, whether we recognize it or not. At the moments You reveal Your presence to us, whether it be in other people, places, nature or events, help us to appreciate that moment, be invigorated and refreshed and then be able to go on and do whatever You ask of us. Help me to remember that it is all part of Your plan of salvation, salvation for us all that we may be together for eternity. Everything here and now is temporary and designed to prepare us for a future where time no longer exists and the ecstasy of being together is continual and never ceasing. Forgive me for my impatience when I reach out to cling to You in a moment of time. Help me to be like fluid, willing to flow through time with You propelled by our deep love for each other and by the hope of eternity together.

                “Dear Mary Magdelene, I join you in the early dawn at the open tomb.”