HALF TERRIFIED BY THE STRANGE EVENTS they had witnessed, yet joyful at the news of Christ’s resurrection, the women hastily sought out the disciples and reported the events of the morning. The disciples, however, rejected their story as nonsense, and the holy women set out again for the sepulcher, hoping to discover some news of the Master.
The two disciples alerted by Mary Magdalene had meanwhile raced to the sepulcher. John reached the tomb first. Stooping down and peering through the entrance, he could see the abandoned cerements, but he hesitated to enter until Peter arrived and explored the tomb.
While the disciples were searching the tomb, Mary Magdalene stood outside weeping. After their departure, she, too, stooped and peered within, and she saw two white-clad angels sitting on the bench where the body of Jesus had been laid. “Woman,” they said, “why art thou weeping?”
“Because they have taken away my Lord,” said Mary, “and I do not know where they have laid Him.” As she turned to leave, she saw another stranger. He said: “Woman, why art thou weeping? Whom dost thou seek?”
It was Jesus, but Mary took Him for the gardener and said, “Sir, if Thou hast removed Him, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and 1 will take Him away.” He spoke her name: “Mary!”
Now she recognized Him, and crying, “Rabboni” (Master), sought to embrace Him. Jesus was touched by her devotion, but there was no occasion for desperate effusions: He was to be with His disciples for many days. And He said:
“Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”’ Rejoicing, she went and told the disciples, but they did not believe her.
Matthew 28:8 | Mark 16:9-11 | Luke 24:9-12 | John 20:3-18
Meditation: As soon as Mary Magdalene had reported the news to Peter and John, they ran to the tomb, looking for any shred of information about their Master. In Peter’s haste we see a beautiful understanding of the forgiving nature of Our Lord. Peter had three times betrayed Him; yet he knew he would be forgiven and he wanted to see his Master. After our sins, do we imitate Peter and run to Christ?
Information from The Life of Christ “Our Lord’s Life with Lesson in His Own Words for Our Life Today” The Catholic Press, Inc. 1959. 291-292. © 1954 edited by Reverend John P. O’Connell, MASTD and Jex Martin, following mainly A Chronological Harmony of the Gospels by Stephen J Hartdegen OFM NIHIL OBSTAT John A McMahon; IMPRIMATUR Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago August 1, 1953. Print. Drawing by Albert H Winkler.
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