John 20:11–18
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept,
she bent over to look into the tomb; 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. 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.” When she
had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not
know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom
are you looking for?” 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”
(which means Teacher). 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.'” 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.
Reflection
Do I also weep
for losses in my life? What do these
losses mean to me?
How do I feel about Jesus’
remark: “Do
not hold on to me.” How to I
understand this invitation of Jesus?