TUESDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER, APRIL 19, 2022

MASS READINGS

A Gospel according to Jn 20:11-18

Mary Magdalene 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 went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

REFLECTION

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.’”

Why did Jesus choose Mary of Magdala to be the first witness to His Resurrection?

What does Jesus mean, "Stop holding on to me,...?"

Mary was faithful to Jesus. He freed her from Satan's possession. She followed Jesus and traveled with the other women to help serve Him during His ministry. She was there during His passion, crucifixion, death, and burial.

Mary was grieving Jesus' death at the tomb and then His missing body. When Jesus calls her name "Mary," her eyes were open to see Him Resurrected! Her first reaction was to embrace Him and hold Him. Shouldn't we, like Mary, want to hold on to Jesus?

Jesus tells Mary to let Him go because He must ascend to His Father. He gives her a mission to go tell the disciples the Good News!

We need to be in an intimate relationship with Jesus like Mary of Magdala. How can we get to know Jesus intimately? We can know Jesus through His Word. Study His holy Word, the Sacred Scriptures, to know Him more intimately.

Join us this Wednesday, April 20th, at PAPA's FACE ZBS, Face-to-Face ZOOM Bible Study. Study with and ask a theologian questions about this past Sunday's Gospel. Be a witness like Mary Magdalene and spread the Good News!

Christ is Risen!

Contact us at PAPA@papamio.org !

Happy Easter! Truly, Christ is Risen!