John 20:11-18 The Message
11-13 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus’ body had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”
13-14 “They took my Master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they put him.” After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn’t recognize him.
15 Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”
16 Jesus said, “Mary.”
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”
17 Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: “I saw the Master!” And she told them everything he said to her.
He called my name,
gently,
lovingly,
that tender voice I knew so well.
I knew it was him.
This was no figment of my imagination,
a hallucination in my distress.
This is him – Jesus.
Different, but still my Jesus.
Here with me.
In all that is going on,
and all that will be.
Ever present.
Knowing me.
Loving me.
He stands by me in my weeping
and takes me on.
He is here.
He’s not dead, he’s alive.
He still knows me and calls to me.
I’ve got to go and tell.
They’ve got to know.
I hear you Lord,
calling my name.
Into my confusion,
my despair,
my pain,
my questioning.
You stay with me
in my weeping.
You call my name.
Tenderly,
reassuringly,
filled with love
and comfort.
Bringing hope
and peace.
I hear you,
find you,
know you afresh.
And in my time
I go
and tell
that you are here.
you are not gone,
distant,
dead
you are alive
On this most poignant of Easter days, God remains with us. He has not gone, but stands with us in our weeping and leads us on. Hope dawns again.
