“If you have the courage to imitate Mary Magdalene in her sins, have the courage to imitate her penance!” ~ Pio of Pietrelcina
The two most important questions asked on the first Easter morning were, “Woman, why are you crying, and who are you looking for?” Jesus asked these two questions of Mary Magdalene. Mary had walked with Jesus for a very long time, yet she either didn’t understand, or she didn’t believe Jesus when He said He would die and be resurrected three days later. Mary didn’t come looking for a risen or living Jesus; she came looking for a dead Jesus and was curious about where they took His body.
Let’s check out the story here:
John 20:1-18 (Common English Bible)
Empty tomb
20 Early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.” 3 Peter and the other disciple left to go to the tomb. 4 They were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and was the first to arrive at the tomb. 5 Bending down to take a look, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Following him, Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 He also saw the face cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t with the other clothes but was folded up in its own place. 8 Then the other disciple, the one who arrived at the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 They didn’t yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.
Jesus appears to Mary
11 Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot. 13 The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” 14 As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabbouni” (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her.
Most people have similar questions to Mary when it comes to God. Mary had enough faith in Jesus and cared enough for Jesus that she followed Jesus at a distance. She knew there was something marvelous about Jesus, and she was drawn to Him; yet, she didn’t fully believe Jesus was who He said indeed He was, which was God incarnate. In our sorrows and brokenness, we look up to the stars and wonder who created the universe. We wonder if the Creator truly exists and if this Creator does exist, is it possible to communicate with this Creator.
Mary’s questions were legit and fair, and so are the questions you have about God. Jesus says, “seek, and you shall find” (Matthew 7:7). Mary was a seeker and discovered Jesus, who transformed her life. Guess what? The same holds for all of us. If we seek, we shall find, and when we find Jesus, if we surrender and ask Jesus to come to live in our heart, just like Mary, Jesus will transform our life. Friends, God’s not dead and seeks a relationship with everyone. I hope this Easter we all become seekers, for if we seek, we shall find, and when we find, our lives will never be the same again. Happy Easter, may God bless us all on this special day.
Lord, on this Easter Sunday, I turn my will and life over to You. Come live in my heart, forgive me of my trespasses, and free me from the bondage of sin and self. Please give me the desire and courage this day forward to live my life for the kingdom of God, helping as many of Your kids find their way home. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will not mine always materialize, now and forever, Amen.
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