“An odd and unexpected witness”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, March 31, 2024
John 20:1-18 (Forward, p. 62) CEV p. 1129
Certain persons over the years have claimed that the resurrection stories are untrue, that is, fabrications. But surely, if the compiler of today’s gospel passage, traditionally John, had wanted to bolster the credibility of his account in the eyes of first century readers, he would have omitted or changed its mention of Mary Magdalene as being the first witness to the resurrection. Women’s testimony was not accepted in a Jewish court of law, so why risk doubt or questions by including her experience of the risen Jesus in a setting far more crucial than a merely human and earthly court of law.
But John included it, and Mark (Mark 16:9), and another gospel writer included other women as well (see Matthew 28:9-10). Why? Because it was true. Because it actually happened that way. So, rather than to try to upgrade the story to make it sound more believable or trustworthy, given the reluctance to accept women’s testimonies, they just told it as it was, warts and all.
Not only that: I happen to believe that this sequence of events was planned and orchestrated by none other than Almighty God. In other words, God wanted a woman to be the first witness, the apostle to the apostles, as some have put it. God wanted women to be witnesses of His truth, His gospel, just as much as men. God wanted all of us to bear witness to His truth and His glory. Amen.
Forward notes: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher)” (verse 16).
“The gardener—Jesus—calls Mary by name, and she recognizes him. Knowing a person’s name establishes a level of rapport that a mere greeting cannot establish. When Jesus is raised, he addresses several people by name. Even after his crucifixion and death, Jesus returns to do the work he has always intended to do, but now things are far different. He is everywhere and is available to greet us my name in the same way we greet him in prayer.
“Christ’s resurrection invites us to remember the moments we have encountered blessings, intentionally personal blessings. It is almost as if Christ called us directly by name to bless us. We recall these blessings and reflect on how they give us life with the same grace and love that Jesus calls Mary by name today. The life we are given by God gets even better today. The new window of eternity is open, and absolutely everyone’s included. We begin, though, by hearing Christ call us by name.”
Moving Forward: “Bring out the alleluias! Christ is risen indeed!”