The Holy Gospel for today...
Illustration
The Holy Gospel for today is the Johannine account of Easter morning. What is notable about this account is the reaction of Mary Magdalene to the presence of the Risen Christ. All of the other reports about the reaction of the disciples is that they were filled with fear and doubts. It is certainly no idle question to ask why they were so fearful. One would have thought that they should have been bubbling over with joy and would have created much excitement all over town because they had seen the Lord.
We all have read dramatic stories of how people have been rescued from the brink of death -- people who were thought dead or were revived from some deadly or comatose state. Their friends and loved ones were delighted to discover that their patient was not dead and they were elated to be reunited with their dear friend and relative. One would think that the disciples would have reacted in the same spirit of elation and thanksgiving and that there would have been no doubts or fears as to what had happened. One would think the evangelists could have reported that the disciples suddenly remembered everything Jesus had foretold about rising from the grave. There is not the slightest hint the disciples recalled any of that in those first Easter days. Something was radically different from a run of the mill resuscitation. However, different from all the rest, Mary Magdalene is the one who expresses no fear, apparently makes some attempt to embrace our Lord, and understands he is risen, and goes to tell the others.
We all have read dramatic stories of how people have been rescued from the brink of death -- people who were thought dead or were revived from some deadly or comatose state. Their friends and loved ones were delighted to discover that their patient was not dead and they were elated to be reunited with their dear friend and relative. One would think that the disciples would have reacted in the same spirit of elation and thanksgiving and that there would have been no doubts or fears as to what had happened. One would think the evangelists could have reported that the disciples suddenly remembered everything Jesus had foretold about rising from the grave. There is not the slightest hint the disciples recalled any of that in those first Easter days. Something was radically different from a run of the mill resuscitation. However, different from all the rest, Mary Magdalene is the one who expresses no fear, apparently makes some attempt to embrace our Lord, and understands he is risen, and goes to tell the others.
