Tuesday in the Octave of Easter (April 3, 2018): They have taken my....

Today’s Readings:

Acts 2:36-41
Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22
John 20:11-18
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040318.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_04_03.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
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.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.

Good News Reflection: They have taken my….

Let’s put ourselves into the sandals of Mary Magdalene, the woman at the tomb in today’s Gospel. We know how she feels. We too have wept because we couldn’t find Jesus. For example:

They have taken my job, my income, and I don’t know where Jesus is — where is his help?

My health is gone, and I don’t know why God hasn’t healed me. Where is he when I need him most?

The Lord has taken my husband (or my wife) and I’m so lonely. Why did God leave me alone?

Someone has gossiped against me and stolen my good reputation. Where was God to defend me?

That jerk has taken away my joy and I am miserable. Where is Jesus and the joy of the Lord?

The world has taken my children away from the faith. Why isn’t God revealing himself to them in a way that convinces them to come back to church?

They have taken away my rights. Where is the God who gave me those rights?

I am hurting so badly! Will Jesus never rescue me from this? Where is he?

In the resurrection account described by John, Mary only needed to hear Jesus call her by name and she recognized that he was standing in front of her. How is Jesus calling out to you? The answer requires us to look beyond ourselves.

We are a post-Pentecost people, which means that he is calling you — all of us — to continue the ministry he began. Only after we recognize his call to ministry are we able to see what Jesus has been doing right there in front of us. We are healed of our pain, misery and loneliness not by sitting on our couches and complaining, but by doing something with our pain that helps others heal. (This seems to be a secret that too few people know, but it should be a normal part of Christian living.)

In Matthew’s account (see Matt. 28:1-10), the women were fearful until an angel said, “Don’t be afraid!” and Jesus repeated the message. Fear keeps us from seeing Jesus and from realizing the plan of redemption that God’s trying to reveal to us. Like he did for Jesus, the Father wants to redeem our crosses and destructions by transforming them into new lives that will reveal Jesus to others.

In Luke’s account (see Luke 24:1-8), angels said to the women, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” We fail to see Jesus whenever we focus on what’s going wrong. Only when we stop clinging to our limited and self-centered perceptions can we notice that God is leading us into a victorious future.

Listen! Jesus is calling your name. Your resurrection has already begun!

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Lord, open my understanding and my spiritual eyes to recognize Your path in my life and thus be able to reveal Your name to those who are waiting in You. Amen.

© 2018 by Terry A. Modica

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