Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Principle Service on Easter Day:
“But 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.” (John: 20: 11 and 12)
I own an old 1997 Ford pickup truck. My engine went bad and my brother came to my aid and replaced the engine right in my driveway. During the process I lost the only good key I had and had to use another old key that barely worked. After the engine replacement, the truck ran fine, if I could get it started with the old worn-out key.
I went to a store to have another key made and it required putting the old key in a digital laser machine (burying it) and having the company mail me the finished key. When it came in the mail after about a week, I was nervous about trying it. But it worked! It worked even better than the good key I lost. How is this possible?
The life story of Mary Magdalene is amazing. We learn from the Gospel according to Luke that she was possessed by seven demons which Jesus drove out of her (Luke 8:2). In doing this, Jesus gave her back to herself. Her new self was better than her first self, even before demonic possession. This man Jesus that has been crucified, died and was buried, the restorer of her life, has been taken away, – taken away from her before she has had time not only to at least attempt to repay him for all he has done for her, but now, even his body has been taken away before she can give it the proper anointing as is the custom of her people. Why is this happening?, she thought.
She feels sad that she has failed him in this way. So, yes, she is crying because of her great sadness. My beloved of the Lord, we too have this in common with Mary Magdalene. We owe, who we are supposed to be, to our Lord Jesus. But this is only true if we are living lives of dedication to our Lord Jesus as did Mary. This life of dedication begins at our baptism. And we are aided by those who say that they will do all in their power to assist the newly baptized in their walk in following Christ (with God’s help of course).
Can you only imagine how elated Mary must have been when the supposed gardener called her by her name, and in a voice she was all too familiar with? “Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (Teacher). She then gives the shortest, but most powerful sermon ever recorded; her words changed our planet forever. I can see Mary running back to the scared and doubting apostles yet again, and running out of the pages of our Gospel and right into our hearts today, perhaps barefoot and in the rain, with tears now of great joy streaming down her cheeks, and preaching her sermon, Alleluia; He Is Risen!
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: (BCP p. 291)
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 