Daily Gospel Reflection for April 3, 2018

Today's Gospel: John 20:11-18 Mary Magdalene was a woman who was healed by Jesus and became one of His disciples. She walked the road to Calvary, with the Blessed Mother and St. John. She stood steadfast, as Jesus was brutally beaten and crucified. She watched her Lord die and took great care to anoint His body for burial. As strong as her faith in Jesus was, Mary’s sorrow was real and heavy. I am sure she heard Jesus talk about the Resurrection countless times, but what did that really mean? How was that going to work? In today’s Gospel, Jesus approaches her. Twice, He tenderly asks Mary Magdalene, “Woman, why are you weeping?” He knows what sorrow she has endured over the past few days, and He wants to relieve her of her sadness and replace it with joy. “Mary.” Can you just hear the tenderness and affection in His voice? At the sound of her name being spoken by Him, all her tears are wiped away and all her sorrows are healed. It is that instantaneous, that powerful. Then, Jesus sends her forth to be the Apostle to the Apostles, so that they may experience the joy of the Resurrection, too. “I have seen the Lord.” Jesus is a personal savior. He knows each of us by name. He knows each of our hearts. And today He asks each of us, “Why are you weeping?” Jesus wants us to pour our hearts out to Him, like Mary Magdalene did. He wants to be able to reveal Himself to us, the way He revealed Himself to her. He wants to dry up our tears and heal our sorrows, at the sound of our name on His lips. And He wants us to share our personal encounter with others, that they may come to know Him personally, too.