When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
John 20:14
but did not know it was Jesus.
Reflection
Mary Madgalene comes to Jesus’ tomb and finds it empty, when two angels appear and ask her why she is weeping. She tells them someone has taken her Lord, when Jesus himself appears, although she doesn’t recognize him initially. Eventually he calls her by name and she recognizes him, and he commands her to go tell the disciples what she has seen.
Sometimes we are so blinded by emotions we are unable to recognize Christ, just as Mary Magdalene is full of grief and doesn’t recognize Jesus until he calls her by name. The goodness, beauty, and love our Lord presents to us each day can be clouded by our emotions, especially when we are in a state of anger or sadness.
When we feel that Christ is far from us and we are dealing with various difficulties, it is good to take a step back and look objectively at how he has been present in our lives. Discovering that Jesus is always with us, even in the smallest of things, brings back perspective and a realization that he never abandons us and is accompanying us on our pilgrimage to heaven. Reflect on how your emotions obscure the truth God presents to us, and ask the Holy Spirit to provide clarity in the moments when we need to recognize Christ.
Saint of the Day
St. Mary Magdalene: 1st century AD
| “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 20:15-16 |
The Healing Word 