John 20: 11-18
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he had told her.
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for an end to abortion and the use of contraception.
"Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted ... "
Jesus encounters us in our suffering as One Who not only suffered, but also as One Who is risen.
It is Jesus Who encounters us today in our daily sufferings. He encounters us as we endure the sufferings that are beyond us, from the daily news that we read to the the evils that go on daily that never get reported. He encounters us as endure the sufferings others cause us, from the person who cuts you off on the road to the friend or family member who neglects to speak to you. He encounters us as we endure the sufferings we have in ourselves, from any diseases that we may be dealing with to the fatigue of our daily lives.
Jesus encounters us ... He encounters us in our mourning ... He encounters us as He encountered Mary Magdalene in her desire to be with Our Beloved ... He encounters us and comforts us.
Do we take comfort in the resurrection, or do we take comfort in the comfort of life? Do we take comfort in the chaos of modern society? Do we take comfort in the "idea" that Christianity is a path to prosperity? Do we take comfort in human respect?
For Mary Magdalene, she rejoiced in her Lord, and the resurrection of her Lord. What about us? Do we take comfort in a Risen Christ, Who knows what it means to suffer?
"Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Take care and God Bless.
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