Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I have seen the Lord.”

Gospel Reading: 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.

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary Magdalene is seeking out Jesus at his tomb. She says to the angels, “They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him.” Through her desire to be with Jesus, he appears before her. What is interesting is that she does not recognize him. It is not until he cries out her name that she recognizes him. How many times are we seeking Jesus but do not see him standing there with us? Jesus Christ never abandons us, we abandon him. We are called to constantly seek him out. Mary Magdalene was looking for Jesus and He was right there with her. Finally, when Jesus calls her name, she recognizes him. Being filled with the joy of the encounter with the risen Christ, she goes and tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” It is not enough for us to know about the Lord, but we must encounter Christ in our lives. You must experience Him when He calls your name. You must be willing to go to others and say, “I have seen the Lord.” An encounter with Jesus Christ is the very foundation of the Christian faith. To be truly Christian is to have experienced Jesus Christ first hand. It is through your faith that you can see the power of the resurrection and eternal life. It is through the eyes of your faith that you encounter the Kingdom of God here on earth. Celebrate your encounter with Jesus and shout out, “Alleluia, Alleluia, I have seen the Lord!” A true encounter with Jesus Christ is life altering. It is through the grace of God that you encounter Jesus Christ in your life. We have the choice to accept that grace or to deny it. Your eyes will be opened and you will be given the light if you accept his grace.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, Father in heaven.

You are the risen Christ.

It is through you that my sins are forgiven.

It is through you that I find eternal life.

Give me the eyes of faith to see you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon