From Great Sadness to Joy.

Homily for April 18, 2017.

In yesterday’s Gospel passage, we saw Matthew’s version of what took place soon after Jesus rose from the dead. In today’s Gospel passage, John gives us a slightly different version.

Mary Magdalene having come to the tomb very early while it was still dark saw that the stone had been taken away, so she ran to tell Peter and the other disciple who both ran to check things for themselves. Later in the day, Mary Magdalene came back again to the tomb alone and she stood outside weeping.

As she was weeping, she stooped to look inside the tomb and noticed two Angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. Then she turned round and saw Jesus standing. She did not recognize him at first until he called her name: “Mary.”

It was at this moment that her great sadness and tears turned into joy and adoration. She called him by a name she was used to calling him and probably reached out to embrace him but Jesus said “Do not hold me…”

Dear friends, what is that which has brought you great sadness? Do not gloss over it because out of that same sadness, God is capable of turning it into joy. Tears are a way of expressing our pain but they also cause blindness at times.

When we cry over something we have lost, we fail to realize that in loosing that thing, we have also gained something else. We look too much at the closed door that we do not see an open window.

Why was Mary crying? Because she could not find the dead body of Jesus. She had forgotten what Jesus himself said about rising from the dead, perhaps she did not believe it, she came to the tomb expecting to see the body still in place so she would anoint it with spices.

It would have brought her great joy to see the dead body and anoint it as a sign of her last respect and service. But then, after anointing it, she would have gone home and probably forgotten about Jesus as we do after attending a person’s funeral.

As I reflect on Mary’s tears, it dawned on me that God allows tears in our lives so that he can give us something better. Imagine if God in an attempt to please Mary Magdalene prevented Jesus from rising from the dead!!! Now, you see, her tears were necessary because something better than a dead body was coming. She did not have to anoint Jesus again but went home in great joy.

Dear friends, let us take some moments today to reflect on those things that have brought us tears and ask: What if my tears were necessary? What if it was a good thing that I had to cry?

Could it be that I was crying over losing a bicycle when God was actually giving me a fleet of cars? Did I really miss anything or have I allowed my tears blind me to the point that I no longer recognize Jesus like Mary Magdalene?

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see your hand always in all circumstances of my life. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Easter Tuesday. Bible Study: Acts 2:36-41 and John 20:11-18).

Fr. Abu.