Friday within the Octave of the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Posted on April 14, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. John 20:11-18 (NKJV)
20:11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, 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, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
Devotion
Was this Mary, who was weeping outside the tomb on that first Easter morning, the same woman we hear of in Luke 7? Was she the one who washed Jesus’ feet at the Pharisee’s house with her tears, drying them with her hair; who kissed Jesus’ feet with her lips; who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil? We don’t know for certain. But, we know from Scripture that this was Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons. And we know that this woman was “beloved” which is one meaning for the name “Mary”.
We know that Jesus was beloved by Mary Magdalene. After all, Jesus cast seven demons out of her. She was helped and forgiven much, so also she loved much (cf. Luke 7:47). And Jesus told Mary to tell His disciples that He was “ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.” She told them. And He did it. He ascended to the right hand of the Father and proclaims the abundant love and forgiveness that He has for all those who are His through faith!
Prayer: Almighty God, Who, through Thine Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech Thee, that, as Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
