Christ comfort Mary Magdala

Gospel

John 20:11-18

'I have seen the Lord and he has spoken to me'

Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.

Reflection

Mary’s encounter in the garden begins with grief, then shifts to recognition when Jesus calls her by name. Her personal moment of awe—“Mary!”—transforms sorrow into witness: she who wept becomes the first to announce the Resurrection. In a world quick to label women’s voices as secondary, this passage elevates a simple, intimate moment of hearing Jesus’ voice as enough to change everything. The risen Christ meets us in our ordinary ache and invites us to name him again, to respond with trust, and to carry the Good News to others. May we, too, listen for Jesus’ call in the pauses of our day, allow our hearts to recognize him, and step out in faith to share the message of new life.

Reflection Question

When have I heard Jesus call my name in a moment of doubt or sorrow, and how did that recognition shape the way I lived or shared hope with others?

Prayer

God of mercy, thank you for meeting us in our deepest moments of longing. Help me to hear your voice when you call my name, even in the small and everyday places. Like Mary, give me the courage to rise, to trust, and to witness to the life you bring. May your Spirit empower me to carry the message of hope to others with joy and gentleness. Amen.

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