When the disciples came to inspect the tomb, they did not find Jesus’ body there, and they went away. They were full of action, running to the tomb, finding nothing, then leaving. But Mary of Magdala remained behind, weeping. She was still, crying, bending over into the tomb. She saw angels who spoke to her, which must have been extraordinary, but her only thought was of Jesus and where they had taken His body.
She was so confused in her sorrow that she didn’t recognize Jesus when He spoke directly to her. Sometimes in our own lives we must endure, waiting and weeping, lost and distraught. We might get caught up in our emotions so that we can’t see the way forward. We can get trapped in the darkness of despair, and when we can’t see our way out, we forget that there is a way out. But time and faith can turn us toward the light.
Jesus tells Mary to deliver a message to His disciples. The disciples were just there, but they already went away. It was Mary’s delay at the tomb, lost in her sadness, that put her in the position to see Jesus, to touch Him, and to speak to Him. If she had gone away with the others, she would have missed out. Delayed in her sorrow, she was in the position to be the first to see Jesus resurrected. She was the person sent by Jesus to deliver the message.
The agony of loss is experienced differently, and everyone takes their own time in healing. Like Mary of Magdala, we can be delayed in our sorrow, but that delay may be the pathway to next steps, steps we are called to walk as messengers sent by Jesus.
Cuando los discípulos fueron a inspeccionar la tumba, no encontraron el cuerpo de Jesús y se marcharon. Estaban llenos de actividad, corrieron a la tumba y cuando no encontraron nada se marcharon. Pero María Magdalena se quedó allí llorando – inmóvil, con lágrimas en los ojos, inclinándose hacia la tumba. Vio a los ángeles que le hablaban, lo cual debió ser extraordinario, pero su único pensamiento era en Jesús y adónde habían llevado su cuerpo.
Estaba tan confundida en su dolor que no reconoció a Jesús cuando le habló directamente. A veces, en nuestras vidas, tenemos que perdurar, esperando y llorando, perdidos y angustiados. Podemos dejarnos llevar por nuestras emociones y no ver el camino a seguir. Podemos quedar atrapados en la oscuridad de la desesperación, y cuando no vemos la salida, olvidamos que una existe. Pero el tiempo y la fe pueden guiarnos hacia la luz.
Jesús le dice a María que les dé un mensaje a sus discípulos. Los discípulos acababan de llegar, pero ya se habían ido. Fue la demora de María en el sepulcro, sumida en su tristeza, lo que la puso en condiciones de ver a Jesús, tocarlo y hablar con él. Si se hubiera ido con los demás, se lo habría perdido. Retrasada en su dolor, pudo ser la primera en ver a Jesús resucitado. Fue la persona enviada por Jesús para transmitir el mensaje.
La agonía de la pérdida se vive de manera diferente, y cada persona se toma su tiempo para sanar. Al igual que María Magdalena, podemos demorarnos en nuestro dolor, pero esa demora puede ser el camino hacia los siguientes pasos, pasos que estamos llamados a dar como mensajeros enviados por Jesús.
Anita Renaghan is the author of several books including literary fiction, science fiction, and a young adult trilogy. She loves a good character study and has been many characters herself including: an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force, a college graduate, a second degree blackbelt, lost, a waitress and bartender, a wife and mother, an account executive, found, and a constantly inventive singer-songwriter. Anita is interested in sharing her faith with others through her writings and story characters. Her website is anitarenaghan.com
Feature Image Credit: Tobias Bjørkli, pexels.com/photo/stone-wall-2360682/
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Daily Reading
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
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Saint of the Day
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
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