~~~ Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene ~~~
~~~ Song of Songs 3:1-4b ~~~ Psalm 63 ~~~
~~~ John 20:1-2, 11-18 ~~~
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Amidst the fierce battles and flight of the Exodus
we have the beautiful story of Mary Magdalene.
She comes to the tomb looking for Jesus.
Her heart is heavy...she is filled with grief
...she holds onto the thread of hope.
Was Jesus telling the truth?
Was he really raised from the dead?
Where is his body?
She is the first one to come to the tomb.
It is very early in the morning perhaps she could not
sleep after the crucifixion.
Does she come to the tomb for some kind of proof?
Did Jesus leave some sort of prearranged sign?
Had he told her something during his final days
that would give her closure?
As she sees the stone rolled back and the empty tomb;
she begins to weep...for the one she loved.
Her tears are interrupted by a vision and a question.
“Woman, why are you weeping?”
Jesus calls out to Mary by name.
Immediately her mourning is turned into a joy
that she cannot contain.
Just as she reaches out to embrace Jesus,
he stops her sending her to report her findings to the others.
He is Alive...
she sings in her heart as she races to tell the others.
Mary comes to the tomb with a heart laden in grief.
She leaves the tomb with a heart over flowing with joy and gladness.
This joy far surpasses the heaviness she carried
in her heart to the tomb.
Jesus tells us to come to him.
He promises to give us rest for our weary souls.
He does turn mourning into rejoicing.
Mary needed to hear the voice of Jesus.
He desires to call our name too if we but listen.
The tomb was not the end for Jesus it was the beginning.
The beginning of the salvation of our souls.
Mary Magdalene was the first to see and hear the Risen Jesus.
For she loved him beyond measure.
We are Blessed today with the beauty
and strength of Mary Magdalene.
May her love for Jesus be a model for you.
~~~Peace~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment