An Empty Tomb

Mary Magdalene 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. John 20:11-18

Over meals, gathered with friends, we tell our stories of shock and surprise. We love to regale our friends we our amazement or foolishness, our shock and the times when we have had to scream out loud. Sometimes, we can exagerate. Sometimes our friends and family don't believe what we truly have experienced. Life is full of wonder and awe, despite our daily attempts to normalize and ignore. Yet there are times we are called to run and tell what we have seen. Our witness is important.

Mary leans into the empty tomb and is upset by both the lack of a body and strangers telling her what to think. She at first thinks Jesus is a gardener, but recognizes his voice and grabs him, in shock and wonder. He gently tells her to let go, which I imagine she was reluctant to do. But she goes. She shares her witness, her announcement. It was important for us and for them, that she told the story. Her story was important for us all. God invites us to share the witness and blessings we have seen, so those who might be fearful and doubtful might have the courage to believe.

Today, I ask God to give me the strength to share my witness of wonder and blessings. May we all be ready to run and share, for the world is in need of good news and much love.