Tuesday within the Octave of Easter

Daily Meditation: John 20:11-18

Whom are you looking for? (John 20:15)

We’re very familiar with the story; we heard it yesterday, in fact! But today, we hear it from St. John’s point of view. Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body, a sacred task that she had to postpone until the Sabbath was over. While everyone else was celebrating the feast of Passover, Mary and the other disciples were grieving and hiding from the religious leaders.

Nevertheless, on Sunday, early in the morning, she went to the tomb with the spices and perfumed oils she had prepared. But when she arrived, she found that his body was missing. Her pain increased, and all she could do was weep. She had lost her beloved Teacher and Master. Where is Jesus? Oh God! This is too much to endure! How did you allow this to happen?

Maybe we can relate to Mary’s sorrow. Sometimes we can find ourselves asking similar questions. One day we were walking with the Lord, knowing that he was guiding us, teaching us, and taking care of us. But then somehow we stopped following him, and it felt as if Jesus was no longer there. Where is he?

At times like these, it can be helpful to go back to “Jerusalem,” to the rest of today’s story, and keep seeking the Lord. There we find that Mary stays at the tomb and waits. Suddenly she sees a man who asks her, “Whom are you looking for?” (John 20:15). She thinks it’s the gardener, until she hears him call her by name: “Mary!” (20:16). It’s Jesus! The risen Lord is standing right beside her! Filled with joy and propelled by his words to her, she races back to the apostles and announces, “I have seen the Lord” (20:18).

When we feel lost, when we feel we can’t find Jesus anymore, he wants us to remember that he is right there, next to us. He asks us to keep looking for him in daily prayer, to keep searching for him in the Scriptures. He wants us to find him in the Eucharist and in the people who surround us. And when we find him and recognize him as Mary did on that glorious morning, we can go and tell everyone the good news that Jesus is risen!

“Lord, help me to find you in everything I do and everyone I meet. Fill me with the joy of your resurrection!”

Acts 2:36-41
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22