Daily Gospel Reflection for July 22, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Perhaps it was Mary Magdalene’s great love that compelled her to come to the tomb early in the morning. Or was it Jesus’s love for her that drew her there so that she could be the first to know, the one who would tell the apostles about the resurrection.

She ran to tell John and Peter, after seeing the stone had been removed. Then both apostles ran. John, who is younger, arrives first, sees the burial cloths but defers to Peter to go in before him. Peter enters, sees the burial cloths and notices that the one that covered the Lord’s head is not rolled up with the others. The burial cloths are mentioned three times. One can imagine Jesus taking the head cloth off first and perhaps tossing it to the side as He unrolls the rest that had been around His body. This is what a person who had been covered in cloths would do. It is not what someone stealing a body would do. If the body had been stolen, surely the robbers would keep the burial cloths on and carry the body wrapped up. John sees this and believes.

The disciples return home, but Mary stays behind much as one might linger at a grave site of one who is dearly loved. There was no one in the tomb when John and Peter went in, but when Mary looks in there are two angels.

After that Jesus addresses Mary. She does not recognize His voice untilHhe calls her by name. Jesus instructs her to tell the brothers. She returns to the Apostles telling them, “I have seen the Lord.” Thus, this great saint, sinner though she was, became the apostle to the apostles, her memorial elevated to the feast we celebrate today.

Ponder:

How can I increase my love for Jesus by remembering all I have been forgiven and contemplating the honor God bestowed on Mary Magdalene?

Pray:

May we always recognize the voice of Jesus calling us by name, whether audibly, or by recognizing His love in someone’s comment or in a Scripture passage.

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If the body had been stolen, surely the robbers would keep the burial cloths on and carry the body wrapped up. John sees this and believes. #DailyGospel

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