The Resurrection

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

16 “Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

We have all heard this story some of us since we were born. But I want to just have you do one thing today. this is a short blog but I think it could be just as powerful as any of them.

Put yourself in Mary's place. Would you desperately ask everyone where they put Jesus' body? Would you turn and ask the person you thought was a gardener where he was? Most important, would you recognize him when he says your name?

Today as my dad read the scripture, when Jesus looked at Mary and said her name, I substituted my name for hers.

I turned to leave and saw a man standing there. He asked me, "Why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?"

Thinking he was the gardener, I said between my tears, "Sir, if you have taken him, please tell me where and I shall go get him."

He smiled softly and said "Brian." I then recognized my Lord. I fell at his feet, tears falling harder than before, trying to cling to him. "Do not cling to me yet, for I have not returned to my Father. Go find my friends and family and tell them, 'I am back and will ascend to our Father and to our God.'"

I ran from him in pure delight and joy, my tears of sadness replaced with overwhelming joy. I found the disciples and cried " I have seen the Lord." And told them what he had said.

That is how the story of the resurrection should be read to each of us.