Jesus
said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” --John 20:16
Mary Magdalene went
tomb that first Easter morning, not expecting it to be open and empty. Tombs
are places of closure, finality, death. An open, empty tomb is the start of
something new—a different story is beginning. Mary thinks it may be one of foul
play—someone has taken the body of Jesus.
Mary is so devastated, she can do nothing but
stand at the tomb and cry. When Jesus approaches her, she does not recognize
him. Why is this? How could she not recognize the man who healed her
of her demons? How could she not recognize the man that she had been traveling
the countryside with? How could she not recognize man whose ministry she shared?
Perhaps her tears blurred her vision. Perhaps a walking,
talking Jesus so defied her expectations her brain could not have registered
that it was really him. Perhaps his body was a more physically perfect version
of himself that she couldn’t recognize. Whatever the reason, Mary doesn’t
realize she is talking to her friend and teacher, Jesus.
And then he calls her by name.
Mary.
With one word, she knows. She knows it’s the man she aches
for. Each time I read that passage, I imagine infinite love and tenderness in
Jesus’ voice. With one word, her name, he shows her truth. He has been
resurrected. She experiences God’s revelation in a single, personal word. She is no longer blind to who he
is. She sees Christ. She sees her
savior.
I can’t help but wonder what that moment will be like. While I experience Jesus’ call upon
my life and have been following like Mary, I feel that greater understanding is
coming. What will happen when I fully
encounter the risen Christ? What will the moment of revelation show me? What
will it feel like when Jesus calls my name?
