Tuesday of the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:36-41; John 20:11-18)
Most Catholics come to know God gradually. As children they learn that God is a “Supreme
Being who knows all things.” Reading
Scripture when older, they conclude that God is the Creator, Sustainer, and
Redeemer of creation. Some, perhaps at
the end of their lives, come to realize that God really can’t be known. He is an unfathomable mystery – Being itself who
is revealed in Jesus Christ as caring individually for each human person with
the tenderness of a loving father. In
today’s gospel we see Mary Magdalene going through a similar development in coming
to know the resurrected Jesus.
Mary has returned to the tomb where she earlier
discovered Jesus missing. Remembering
his goodness and perhaps saddened because she cannot see his dead body, she
weeps. Then she turns to see a man whom
she believes is a gardener. It is not a
foolish guess. Not only is it likely
that a caretaker of the area around the tombs would be present, but – more poetically
-- Jesus described himself to be a gardener of sorts when he told his disciples
that he has pruned them with his word (John 15.3). Mary then recognizes Jesus for his earthly
role as teacher (“Rabbouni”) that Jesus demonstrated through the course of the gospel. Finally, in relating her experience to Jesus’
disciples, Mary comes to the insight that Jesus is “Lord,” not just their
earthly master but he who reigns over all creation.
Jesus’ resurrection like his Incarnation and his
participation in the threefold Godhead comprises an unfathomable mystery. But we can come to greater appreciation of
its meaning if we contemplate what is expressed in the gospel accounts. There is wonder which is most vividly seen in
children on the hunt for Easter eggs. There
is challenge for adults in accepting manifold graces in a world still ordered to
power and pleasure. Finally, there is
hope for the aged that life is not receding but indeed coming to full flower.
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