This is No Fairy Tale

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 2:36-41 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ John 20:11-18 ~~~

In John's writing right after the Resurrection of the Lord,

we find Mary Magdalene inspecting the tomb.

She was weeping, understandable as she was in mourning.

...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.

Angels were sitting inside the dark empty tomb.

Things had changed once again.

At the birth of Jesus angels sang heavenly songs;

now at his death they are sitting in silence.

They sit one at the head and one at the foot where he had been,

honoring this holy space.

This space where the Father raised up Jesus,

giving him his new glorified body.

Mary comes to the tomb not certain of what she will find,

but she was prepared to love him even in death.

Jesus appears to her in her grief and in her confusion.

He brings her comfort.

He calms her fears...He answers her questions.

He speaks her name...the voice she had become so accustomed to hearing.

He speaks her name...Mary.

The voice she thought she would never hear again.

Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.

He has previously told the apostles 

he was going away, that they could not come.

Now that he is risen he tells Mary 

she must not hold on to him.

Things had changed.

He cannot stay. This is not where he belongs.

He must return to the Father who sent him.

So why does Jesus make these appearances after he is risen?

Does he appear to others, not recorded in the Gospels?

Personally, I believe that he most certainly 

appeared to his mother, Mary.

Jesus knew that his friends wanted to believe 

all that he had told him about his death and resurrection;

he wanted them to see him.  Now there would be no doubt.

There would be no fairy tale stories about his resurrection.

Jesus is the 'happily ever after'.

This is no fairy tale, this for real.

He is the promise come true.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Jesus blesses us with his promise of life eternal.

Peace.