Reading 1
Ex 20:1-17
In those days:
God delivered all these commandments:
“I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
him who takes his name in vain.
“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
“You shall not kill.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him.”
19:8, 9, 10, 11
Responsorial Psalm R. (John 6:68c)
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Gospel
Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
Mary 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 Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.
Meditation: Exodus 20:1-17
St. Mary Magdalene
I, the Lord, am your God. (Exodus 20:2)
By the time of Jesus’ passion, Mary Magdalene had overcome a lot and was probably a good and upright person. She had been delivered of seven demons and was now a devoted disciple, supporting Jesus financially and following him as he traveled from town to town preaching the gospel (Luke 8:1-3). She was even one of the few who stood by Jesus during his passion until the last moments of his humiliating and torturous crucifixion.
And yet, despite all her goodness and generosity—despite the way she had obeyed all the commandments— Mary still panicked and forgot about Jesus’ promise that he would rise again. Although her love remained intact, her faith and hope wavered.
This is an important—and encouraging—lesson for all of us. As upright and faithful as she had become, Mary Magdalene was still part of fallen humanity. All of her law-keeping, good deeds, kindness, and generosity could take her only so far. She still needed to meet the Lord and have a life-changing encounter with him. She still needed to hear the risen Lord speak her name. And when she did, not only was her faith restored, it was transformed, and she became the saint whom we honor today!
This face-to-face encounter changed everything for Mary Magdalene, and it can do the same for us. We too need to meet Jesus and hear him calling our name. We need to keep the commandments, of course, but we need more than that. When we hear Jesus and yield to his Holy Spirit, we come to know him not just as the historical Messiah of Israel but as the Lord of history—of our own personal history! Only through this personal encounter will we experience everything God has in store for us. Only then will we become steadfast in faith.
The best part of this story is that we can meet the Lord every day, not just once. We can know his touch in prayer. We can find our faith strengthened as we eat his body and drink his blood. We can hear his voice as we ponder Scripture. Each and every day, we can echo Mary’s cry of gratitude: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).
“Jesus, illuminate my faith with the light of your resurrection. Speak to me, for I love to hear your voice!”
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