The New revealed

Jo Penn March 22, 2024 5 3

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John 20: 11-18 (NRSVA)

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ 14 When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ 16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary Magdalene on Easter Day:

"No travel yesterday, no work neither. Sabbath was marked. Those of us who knew Jesus, still in shock. Yet the ancient words and rituals carried on, as they have done ever since the time of Moses — in times of plenty and times of sorrow. I could barely eat, others were ravenous — I was still aware that there was work for us women to do, to bind the body properly for burial.

The Temple worship went on, even with the curtain ripped the way it was from top to bottom. Unheard of, unbelievable, yet might it mean that God is on the loose? That God broke out? And the complete darkness that fell in the middle of the day — what did it mean?

Then this day, this day — with heavy heart and sorrow I went to do my bit, and honour him once more for the last time. Reminding me that the harrowing events of the past few days were not a terrible nightmare but very, very real.

You’ve heard my news by now I am sure – I can hardly believe it yet. I met him, you see, just as I was crying there. In pain at the loss of his life, and now his body — who would risk stealing it? Not one last humiliation for him!

He’ll tease me forever, that new Head gardener, the New revealed friend of mine, who loves me still and calls my name and blesses me — Me! — to be the first, the messenger of news I scarce can tell for I will burst with the joy of it. How? I do not know, but Jesus is here. He is here! Light has defeated darkness. Love has conquered Hate. Hope is here — and he called my name."

Prayer:

Jesus,

Your friendship to us is stronger than death.

You entrust us to bear the good news to the world that:

You are risen, death is defeated and God’s Kingdom reigns.

May we live in the light of these truths.

Amen