Daily Gospel Reflection for July 22, 2016 - St. Mary Magdalene

Today's Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18 - St. Mary Magdalene

"They have taken the Lord……and we do not know where they have laid him." Mary Magdalene along with others were just ‘gonna do the right thing’, give Jesus the proper burial procedure; and more so I suspect, to see and touch Him one last time. Saying good bye to a loved one as that person is laying there lifeless is not easy and it’s true, we just want to see and touch her/him one last time. Mary was hoping for a better day, just as it was before; Christ leading the way, not a dead Jesus.

But wait! Hope turns into reality! It’s not the gardener, it’s our Lord, the Eternal Jesus, as Mary Magdalene exclaims, ‘Rabbouni’! It is a better day and so much more! Mary wants to embrace Him because she at last recognizes Him, her Lord, our Lord. Jesus was telling us the truth all along! He is the Way, He rose from the dead; death is but a door, that’s some more good news, death brings us into eternal life. And more yet, Jesus says my Father, your Father, my God, your God? That must mean I, you, we all can share in this eternal life!

Ponder:

Do I have the resolve of Mary Magdalene, to clean up my act and follow Jesus in love and do the right thing?

Pray:

Thank you, Jesus, for all you have shown me; Holy Spirit give me the grace to accept all that our Father wants of me.

Copyright 2016 Victor Mathern

Father and husband, quiver full of children, grandfather of 3 quiver-fulls, a dozen sisters and brothers, lives in North Dakota. Farming and construction are my hobbies; personal relationship with Jesus, my quest.