From: John 20:11-18
The Appearance To Mary Magdalene
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-2. All four Gospels report the first testimonies of the holy women and the dis-
ciples regarding Christ’s glorious resurrection, beginning with the fact of the em-
pty tomb (cf. Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1ff; Luke 24:1-12) and then telling of the
various appearances of the risen Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was one of the women who provided for our Lord during His jour-
neys (Luke 8:1-3); along with the Virgin Mary she bravely stayed with Him right
up to His final moments (John 19:25), and she saw where His body was laid
(Luke 23:55). Now, after the obligatory Sabbath rest, she goes to visit the tomb.
The Gospel points out that she went “early, when it was still dark”: her love and
veneration led her to go without delay, to be with our Lord’s body.
11-18. Mary’s affection and sensitivity lead her to be concerned about what has
become of the dead body of Jesus. This woman out of whom seven demons were
cast (cf. Luke 8:2) stayed faithful during His passion and even now her love is still
ardent: our Lord had freed her from the Evil One and she responded to that grace
humbly and generously.
After consoling Mary Magdalene, Jesus gives her a message for the Apostles,
whom He tenderly calls His “brethren”. This message implies that He and they
have the same Father, though each in an essentially different way: “I am ascen-
ding to My Father” — My own Father by nature — “and to your Father”— for He is
your Father through the adoption I have won for you and by My death. Jesus, the
Good Shepherd, shows His great mercy and understanding by gathering together
all His disciples who had abandoned Him during His passion and were now in hi-
ding for fear of the Jews (John 20:19).
Mary Magdalene’s perseverance teaches us that anyone who sincerely keeps
searching for Jesus Christ will eventually find Him. Jesus’ gesture in calling His
disciples His “brethren” despite their having run away should fill us with love in
the midst of our own infidelities.
15. From Jesus’ dialogue with Mary Magdalene, we can see the frame of mind
all His disciples must have been in: they were not expecting the resurrection.
17. “Do not hold Me”: the use of the negative imperative in the Greek, reflected
in the New Vulgate (”noli me tenere”) indicates that our Lord is telling Mary to
release her hold of Him, to let Him go, since she will have another chance to
see Him before His ascension into Heaven.
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
|
First reading |
Acts 2:36-41 © |
On the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the Jews: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’
Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.
|
Psalm |
|
Psalm 32:4-5,18-20,22 © |
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
or
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
|
Gospel Acclamation |
Ps117:24 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad.
Alleluia!
|
Gospel |
John 20:11-18 © |
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.