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Tuesday we began our Easter-week journey with Mary Magdalene asking, “what’s your story?”
Wednesday we asked, “what will you give him?”
Thursday I wondered, “would I have stayed?“
Today, on Resurrection Sunday, we finish our short reflections on Mary Magdalene’s relationship with Jesus with this question: Have you encountered Him?
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:1-8
Just a few short thoughts to ponder today:
*Jesus knows your name. Friends, He knows you. He loves you. The Creator of the universe wrapped Himself in flesh, dwelt among us, took our weaknesses and frailties and failures and rebellion onto Himself and suffered the punishment we deserve – and He did it for you.
*Have you encountered Him? Have you ever had a moment in your life when you realized that He died for you, paid the penalty for your sin, and wants you to know real life in Him?
*He really is alive! If you’ve never begun a true relationship with Him… just turn around! He’s right behind you, calling your name, ready to forgive everything you’ve ever done or ever thought or ever said – remember, Mary was a girl with a past, and nothing is too much for Him to forgive. It’s not too late – but you don’t know how much time you have.
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