Forty days of Lent are now over and we, as Catholics - as Christians - have
the inestimable joy of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. He conquered sin and death and made it
possible for us to go to Heaven.
What love God has for us! His love was proved by His Passion and Death.
"Greater love than this no one has that he lay down his life for his friends," Jesus said.
I love Easter! The smell of the lilies, the spring refreshing colors, the
Easter stories told us in Scripture!
There is one story in particular that affects me deeply. I always weep when
I consider it! Not out of sadness but rather sheer understanding of how it could be!
It is the Scripture passage of the Mary that went to the tomb early Easter
morning to finish tending (washing, etc.) the body of Jesus. Remember that the Jewish Sabbath began
with sunset on Friday (Good Friday) and ended Sunday morning. The strict Jewish law was observed by
faithful Jews. Certain works were forbidden during the Sabbath time, therefore, the followers of Jesus were
rushed to bury the body of Jesus before sunset Friday evening.
So here comes the faithful disciple, Mary, still grieving deeply over what
had happened to her Jesus. Her DEEP love for Jesus did not caution her with practicality. She hurried
quickly to the tomb not thinking about how she was to handle the soldiers at the tomb. What was she to say to them to convince them of her charitable intent? How was she to roll back the stone in front of the tomb? Wasn’t it much too big for her to move by herself?
But great love never worries about those things. Mary’s passion drove her to
tend to her Jesus. Her love would find a way. "Don’t get in my way!" might have been a driving mode.
We know the story! When she arrives at the tomb, the soldiers are gone and
the stone rolled away. She judges the worst. Her grief prevented her from remembering what Jesus had
said. She thinks that the body of Jeus may have been stolen. Her grief deepens. She weeps harder than ever.
What have they done to her Jesus? Her eyes clouded with tears, she notices a man she judges to be the
gardener. He says to her:
"'Woman, why are you weeping?
'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid
Him. If you, sir, know, please tell me and I will take Him away!'"
(Even now my eyes are welling with tears! How I can identify with Mary! How
I understand how she is feeling!)
Then the "gardener" says one word which changes everything. He says her
name: "Mary!" It was the way He said it. She had heard that loving tone before. It was when He said her name that she recognized Him.
God know our names, also. Do you hear Him say your name with such love and
tenderness? It is the same for you and me. The sheep know the voice of the Shepherd.
Be filled with joy this Easter! The Master calls your name. He knows you.
You are His.
Happy Easter, my friends in Jesus. We have a right to hope! God loves us.
Jesus lives! Amen!
God bless you!