First, St. John tells us that Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. Then St. John tells us that Mary wept as she bent over the tomb. Thirdly, angels ask Mary why she is weeping. Fourth, the Risen Lord Himself asks her why she weeps.
That’s a lot of weeping for such a glorious day. Writers, including evangelists, will often repeat an image that they want to draw your attention to.
Mary weeps out of grief, as many of us have, and will likely do again. She wept because she believed Jesus to be dead, and she wept because she thought his dead body had been stolen, the tomb desecrated, his body desecrated. Could his soul be at rest after such an act of desecration? Why would God allow this? Why did God allow any of this?
But as the scripture passage goes on, God begins to break through Mary’s tears—her grief and worries and fears. First through angels, then the Lord himself. The questioning helps her to focus on reality—to see more clearly.
You can imagine Mary first glimpsing our Lord still with tears in her eyes. Her tears and her bewilderment caused her to think the risen Lord was a gardener; the possibility of his resurrection couldn’t even occur to her—but she is beginning to see clearly.
For the disciples on the road to Emmaus, it took them a long conversation, and Jesus breaking the bread for them to come to recognize the risen Jesus. For Mary, it happened as soon as he said her name. God speaking your name has a way of clarifying things, driving away your earthly worries and confusion. You recognize that the things you were holding on to don’t matter as much, your worrying was unnecessary.
The Book of Revelation says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” In the course of just a few verses, Mary Magdalene’s weeping and tears are wiped away, as she comes to recognize that Christ was risen, that the ancient promises of God conquering death were fulfilled, that the time for weeping had come to an end, for former worries, former anxieties, former fears, former concerns were now in the past, and a new chapter in human history had begun.
The celebration of Easter entails a recognition that we’ve spent a lot of time weeping and fretting over a lot of things that don’t really matter. Lent, hopefully, helped us recognize some of those attachments. And now Easter entails a new chapter, new mission and new focus, detached from those earthly concerns, recognizing that the time for weeping has come to an end, for Christ lives and dies no more. That’s the ultimate truth we need to remember in the face of every grief and every temptation to return to former things: Christ lives and dies no more and I have a job to do to spread that message for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.
For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.
For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.
For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.
For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.
That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.
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