From: John 20:11-18
The Appearance To Mary Magdalene
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Commentary:
1-2. All four Gospels report the first testimonies of the holy women and the dis-
ciples regarding Christ’s glorious resurrection, beginning with the fact of the em-
pty tomb (cf. Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1ff; Luke 24:1-12) and then telling of the
various appearances of the risen Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was one of the women who provided for our Lord during His jour-
neys (Luke 8:1-3); along with the Virgin Mary she bravely stayed with Him right
up to His final moments (John 19:25), and she saw where His body was laid
(Luke 23:55). Now, after the obligatory Sabbath rest, she goes to visit the tomb.
The Gospel points out that she went “early, when it was still dark”: her love and
veneration led her to go without delay, to be with our Lord’s body.
11-18. Mary’s affection and sensitivity lead her to be concerned about what has
become of the dead body of Jesus. This woman out of whom seven demons were
cast (cf. Luke 8:2) stayed faithful during His passion and even now her love is still
ardent: our Lord had freed her from the Evil One and she responded to that grace
humbly and generously.
After consoling Mary Magdalene, Jesus gives her a message for the Apostles,
whom He tenderly calls His “brethren”. This message implies that He and they
have the same Father, though each in an essentially different way: “I am ascen-
ding to My Father” — My own Father by nature — “and to your Father”— for He is
your Father through the adoption I have won for you and by My death. Jesus, the
Good Shepherd, shows His great mercy and understanding by gathering together
all His disciples who had abandoned Him during His passion and were now in hi-
ding for fear of the Jews (John 20:19).
Mary Magdalene’s perseverance teaches us that anyone who sincerely keeps
searching for Jesus Christ will eventually find Him. Jesus’ gesture in calling His
disciples His “brethren” despite their having run away should fill us with love in
the midst of our own infidelities.
15. From Jesus’ dialogue with Mary Magdalene, we can see the frame of mind
all His disciples must have been in: they were not expecting the resurrection.
17. “Do not hold Me”: the use of the negative imperative in the Greek, reflected
in the New Vulgate (”noli me tenere”) indicates that our Lord is telling Mary to
release her hold of Him, to let Him go, since she will have another chance to
see Him before His ascension into Heaven.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
First reading | Acts 2:36-41 © |
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Psalm | Psalm 32:4-5,18-20,22 © |
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Gospel Acclamation | Ps117:24 |
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Gospel | John 20:11-18 © |
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