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Morning Meditation
July 23, 2026
Readings: Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Meditation on the Feast of Mary Magdeline – Glenn Beamer
July 22nd was the Feast of Mary Magdeline. John’s gospel recounts Mary’s witness of Jesus at the tomb and provides insight into Mary’s steadfast devotion to Jesus and her ability to leave the tomb and reveal a risen Christ to the apostles. Mary’s experience reflects a subtle yet vital transformation from devotion to action.
Mary Magdeline’s decision to be present to Jesus as he suffered and died on the cross reflect the courage our faith calls us to. While several of Jesus’ disciples declined to be with Jesus in his final hours, Mary placed herself there and saw the experience through. She had to know what the outcome of the crucifixion would be, and she kept her faith with God and stood witness at the cross.
Mary Magdeline remained devoted and steadfast in her faith when she made a second decision to go to Jesus’ tomb. We can’t really know her underlying motivations – was Mary Magdeline going to the tomb seeking refuge from the horror she had experienced on Good Friday? Perhaps she went to ensure no harm would come to Jesus body. Regardless of the motivation her steadfast faith persisted.
Many who read John’s passage comment on Mary Magdeline mistaking Jesus for the gardener. That emphasis is unfortunate because it discounts how Mary Magdeline’s faith transforms from steadfast to purposeful the moment Jesus calls her by name. Unlike some apostles Mary demands neither evidence that Jesus is before her nor proof that he is risen. Mary resolutely leaves the grave to inform the disciples that Jesus was among them as he is among us today.
Our church today is analogous to Mary Magdeline’s experience at Jesus tomb. The church is a space in which we can seek refuge from violent experiences, even those we witness from afar. The church is also the place where, once we recognize Jesus’ presence, we need to discern Jesus’ call to share our faith with others.
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