GOD IS THERE

Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. – John 20:14

       How often have you found yourself in such a dire situation, to the point that your vision of the future is bleak and hopeless? To the point that you’re blinded by confusion, not knowing what to do?

       I’ve been there. Several times. And like Mary Magdalene, I was so paralyzed by my own fears and doubts that I failed to see the presence of God during those dark moments. Like her, I failed to see God who was standing right in front of me, wanting to let me know that He is there for me. He’s asking me why I am so afraid and what solution I am looking for. He is asking me these questions simply because He wants me to know that He is ready to give me the answers to my questions, the solutions to my problems.

       So the next time you find yourself enveloped in darkness again, remember to listen. I even dare you to ask. Because I’m sure that God is there — ready to answer. Orange V. Garcia (orange_garcia@hotmail.com)

Reflection: Remember the difficult moments in your life when you felt that it was too much to bear. Looking back, how did God respond? Always go back to God’s response when you find yourself in such moments again.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. So that I may always see You in every situation.

St. Adalbert of Prague, pray for us.

The crucified one has become both Lord and Christ – these two titles are very important. That Jesus is “Lord” is indicative of His divinity and that He is “Christ” indicates that He is the true Messiah. This is what we celebrate in the resurrection of Jesus – that He, the Son of God, died and rose for us in order to become not just our Messiah but our Redeemer as well! This is how much He loves us – He does not want to leave us to experience the fullness of death as our sins deserve.

36 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” 40 He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

R: The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

4 Upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. (R) 22 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

We may well weep for the death and suffering of Jesus. However, this weeping should not be our enduring experience of Easter. Rather, it should be joy in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; joy that we are no longer captive to the powers of sin and are now free to return to God and His presence. Let us be an Easter People, rejoicing in Jesus’ resurrection by living in the fullness of grace He has won for us on the cross.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

11 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

think:  It is only in a right relationship with God that we will discover and experience fullness of life.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Numbers 7-9

“DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME...”

These words of Jesus to Mary Magdalene are, at first, shocking and, in the long run, enigmatic. Jesus, in His entire earthly ministry, went about touching people whom He in turn allowed to touch Him. Jesus touched persons with fever like Peter’s mother-in-law. He touched the blind men to restore their sight. He touched even the dead, like the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Naim. Jesus Himself was touched by the crowd that gathered around and followed Him. He was touched by the children. He allowed Himself to be touched and caressed by the woman who came and poured perfume at His feet while He reclined at a meal. Even among the stories of the appearances of the Risen Jesus, the Apostle Thomas would be asked by the Lord to run his fingers into His hands and His side. We reflect on two connotations of Jesus’ statement: “Do not hold on to Me.”

       * A new mode of life. Jesus probably wanted to indicate to Mary Magdalene that His new life meant a radically different form of existence, and not one which simply continues the life that He had lived on earth for 33 years. The resurrected body of Jesus is a glorified and transformed body — one that cannot be held and limited by material space and time. Jesus’ resurrected body, though truly a body and not a phantom, can go through closed doors and windows. It can appear and disappear in an instant. It is not simply a resuscitated earthly body.

       * A call from discipleship to apostleship. Mary Magdalene, so much a follower of Jesus at death and beyond death, exemplified a disciple who really was after the Master. This was her way of showing her deep gratitude to Jesus, who has given her a new meaning to life (cf Luke 8:2). But with His resurrection, Jesus would like now to indicate that the time has come for the disciples not to simply cling to Him. They are now to go and scatter to different towns and cities to be witnesses and proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus. From being followers, they are now “sent.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How important is the language of “touch” for you? What do you associate with it? In your faith life now, are you more of a clinger or a witness? What personal challenge is being opened to you in prayer now?