Breaking the Word

But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. 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." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 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."  Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"  which means Teacher. 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.'"  Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he told her.  (Jn 20:11-18)

 

 

Belief in the resurrection is a gift from above. Until and unless it is given from above the individual sees only the material, human, social and cultural things around. Mary sees only the empty tomb and she weeps over it. She sees only a gardener in the person standing behind her. And the communication between them is also of earthy. They speak of taking the body (death) only.

 

When Jesus addressed her as woman, her response also was of the same line. She considered him to be a gardener. The talking between them also would be of human interest and importance. Jesus talked to her in common language and general terms and hence the communication is also of general nature.

 

Jesus called her Mary. He called her by her name that is Jesus was personal. Immediately Mary based her response in a personal manner. She addressed her Rabbouni. Then the communication becomes personal. He tells her not to hold on to her and communicates to her that she has to be in relationship with the father etc. Personal approach, personal revelation, and personal communication makes the person accept resurrection and she is able to proclaim “I have seen the Lord”.

 

 

Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."  While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.' And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy (him) and keep you out of trouble."  The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present (day).  (Mt 28:8-15)

 

 

They went away from the tomb and this only goes to say that there was nothing there in the tomb. If the body of the dead person were to be there in the tomb then they would have stayed there to pray or to sit near the tomb to recollect the past etc. They ran away fearful yet overjoyed. They were fearful because something has happened to the body of the dead person but overjoyed because he is risen. So the joy of the resurrection and belief in the resurrection come from the empty tomb.

 

Their joy and belief were confirmed by the greetings of Jesus. Only those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus were given the chance of encountering the risen lord. They were strengthened by the greetings (Do not be afraid) and commanded to communicate the experience to the disciples for further experience of him.

 

Those who do not believe and those who base their arguments on the material proofs will only invent stories that do not communicate the resurrection.  Belief in the resurrection as well as non-belief in the resurrection will coexist always even until this day. It all depends on where we place ourselves. If we place ourselves on the external, material things then the belief in the resurrection will not be a gift to us.