Focus

Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.

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Read

John 20:11-20 (NRSV)

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. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

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Reflect

I have always found it interesting that Mary Magdalene didn’t recognize Jesus in the garden. Perhaps it was because she was preoccupied with her grief. Her Lord was dead. She had witnessed Jesus being betrayed, tortured, and murdered. And now his body was gone! Her anguish must have seemed overwhelming.

That’s how it is when we suffer. Isn’t it hard to imagine hope when we are in despair? Have you ever been so heartbroken that you fail to recognize the presence of our Savior? So often we miss Christ in the midst of our pain, but Christ will never desert us in our darkest hours. Praise be to our risen Savior!

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Pray

Holy and divine God, we praise you for your omnipotent presence in times of grief and pain. May we always draw close to you and find hope and peace in the resurrection of Christ. In his name we pray, Amen.

Go with God.