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Day 27 – Jesus is alive and he meets Mary

Bible reading: John 20:11–18

11 But Mary stood outside the hole in the rock. She was crying. While she cried, she bent herself down to look inside the hole. 12 She saw two angels there. They were wearing white clothes. They were sitting where Jesus' dead body had been. One angel was sitting where Jesus' head had been. The other angel was sitting where his feet had been.

13 They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ She replied, ‘They have taken away my Lord. I do not know where they have put him.’ 14 When she had said this, she turned round. She saw a man who was standing there. It was Jesus, but she did not recognize him. 15 Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?’ Mary thought that he was the gardener. So she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away somewhere, please tell me. Tell me where you have put him. Then I will go and I will take him away.’

16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and she said in the Jewish language, ‘Rabboni!’ (This means ‘Teacher’.) 17 Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me because I have not gone up to the Father yet. But go to my brothers, the disciples. Tell them, “Now I will go up to my Father. He is also your Father. He is my God, and he is your God.” ’ 18 Mary from Magdala took this message to the disciples. She went to them and she said, ‘I have seen the Lord!’ Then she told them the things that Jesus had said to her.

John 20:11-18 EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)

Reflection

It seems that Mary, a close friend of Jesus, had followed Peter and John, and arrived back at the tomb after they had gone. She was extremely sad, still thinking that someone has removed the body of her friend. But as she looks into the tomb, she sees two supernatural visitors, angels, sitting where Jesus’ body had been. She hears a voice behind her asking why she is crying. Turning quickly around, she sees Jesus, but at first fails to recognize him in his changed life.

One word

Just one word is enough to reveal the truth to her. ‘Mary,’ Jesus says. He speaks that name as nobody else could. At once she is overcome with delight and amazement, and naturally, tries to hug him. But Jesus gently doesn’t allow her to.

His rising from death means that a new sort of relationship has begun between him and his followers – different from what they had enjoyed with him before.

Faith replaces sight

This amazing story about Mary is the link between the empty tomb and the relationship of love and trust that true believers have with the risen Jesus. It is a reminder that believers know the Lord personally, but it is now by faith, no longer by sight.

The real meaning of Jesus’ rising from death is more than the empty tomb. It is also the personal relationship of love and trust between each Christian and their living, but unseen, Lord.