Sermon Prepared for Messiah Lutheran Church

2^nd Sunday of Easter, traditional services – 4/22/01

by Gregory S. Kaurin

Associate Pastor for Spiritual Care and Development

 

Text: John 20:1-18

 

Resurrection Appearances: Mary Magdalene

 

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There can be no doubt how much Mary Magdalene loved Jesus.

 

It’s interesting: all the speculation about Mary Magdalene, who and what she was.  Pope Gregory I (with a name like “Gregory” he couldn’t be wrong, could he?) believed that Mary Magdalene was the same Mary in the stories of Mary and Martha.  It’s in John’s gospel that we find out that Mary of Mary and Martha was the one who anointed Jesus’ feet shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. 

However, in Luke’s gospel, much earlier in Jesus ministry, while he was eating with Simon (a Pharisee that Jesus had cured of leprosy) an un-named of the streets, a woman of “bad reputation” came in, wept on, anointed and wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.  Pope Gregory I believed these three women to be all the same, Mary Magdalene.

Actually, he was accepting a tradition that was somewhat older.  Donatello’s sculpture from the mid-1400’s of Mary Magdalene shows her dressed all in rags—a woman from the streets, of ill repute.

 

Others have even speculated that Mary Magdalene might have been the true author of the fourth gospel, of John’s gospel, which we read from just a moment ago.  Many of these people feel that Mary was the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”  That makes for some interesting interpretations when you read the scenes that talk about this “other disciple.”

The speculation gets sillier and more offensive from there.[1]  But—beside all the rumor and speculation—this is what we do know of her: Mary from the town of Magdala has been remembered as one of the most devoted followers of Jesus.  Jesus had healed her of evil spirits some time before the middle of his ministry, and from there she followed him all the way to the foot of the cross where she stood beside Jesus’ mother.

And she was the one who remained sobbing outside his tomb on that Sunday morning.  Everything was so unsettled for her.  They didn’t even get to give Jesus’ body a proper burial.  Now this, his body was gone! 

But she was remembered most of all for this resurrection appearance.  Some have said that this is the “greatest recognition scene in all literature” and all history.  There can be no doubt: Mary of Magdala loved her Teacher!

 

William Barclay, a Bible commentator and preacher, said that there is “no need to seek for elaborate reasons why Mary did not know Jesus.”  He said, “The simple and poignant fact is that she could not see him through her tears!”[2]

She was blinded by tears and grief.  Mary was so focused on the grave and her sorrow that she gave the man standing by only a passing glance, saying, “Tell me where his body is.”  Then, she turned her eyes and heart back to the empty tomb, the cold grave.

 

I’ve always found first names interesting.  They usually mean something inspiring or uplifting, an image to grow into.  For instance, “Joseph” or “Josephine” means, “fatherly” or “parental.”  “Steven” or “Stephanie” means, “crowned one.”  “Gregory” means, “guardian.” 

And then there are names like “Mary.”  “Mary” means “woman of sorrows.”  It is still a name that is meant to imply strength.  This is one who holds—but bears up under, or emerges from—her sorrows.

 

Well, perhaps in this scene with Mary Magdalene we can find a small lesson for life, especially in the more difficult or stressful times of our own lives.  In that moment of horrible grief, Mary could not see past the tears in her eyes.  She couldn’t imagine a life beyond the cold grave.  She couldn’t feel anything but her broken heart.

Grief, stress and anger, these sorrows and anxieties naturally turn us in on ourselves, but we can’t let them blind us to the fact that God is stronger!  There is a sight and vision called faith that we need to call on to help us see through our tears.  Faith gives a promise of healing and strength to get us through it.  We will emerge from our sorrows…even in our own lifetimes!

And yes, there is something cold and empty about a grave, even when it is filled with the body of a loved one.  It can be hard to see, feel or imagine anything else beyond it.  But staring too long at the grave is facing the wrong direction.

God’s warmth overwhelms death’s cold.  Faith fills emptiness.  The only way we can look at the cross or a tombstone with any kind of faith and peace is by knowing that the Risen Christ stands in front of them.  The Risen Christ has defeated the last enemy.  It is just as our Sanctuary Choir illustrated at the end of the cantata.  They carried the black shroud out of the sanctuary like pallbearers.  “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”[3]  That leaves only victory and life!

 

A funeral director once told about a memorial he had lead by the graveside for a family who had no religious beliefs.  They gathered and shared a few memories.  It came to the end and the family started walking away.  One daughter lingered a moment.  She said, “Good-bye, Dad,” and walked away.  That was it, “Good-bye.”

Maybe the French word is better.  The French for “good-bye” is “adieu.”  “Adieu” suggests “till we meet again.”  It expects a reunion, and that might be good enough.  But “adieu” literally means, “to God.”  Adieu: “Whether we meet again or not, I commend you, I place you, in God’s hands!”  It suggests a faith beyond all parting.

 

Finally, there is that passage that is a little hard to understand.  Jesus said, “Mary.”  She answered, “Teacher” and grabbed for him.  He said, “Don’t hold me; I haven’t ascended to my Father.”

Why not?  We know that later Jesus would invite the disciples to touch and see that he was flesh and whole.  Why did he deny her this embrace?

It is possible that, moving from the spoken Aramaic through the written Greek and the translated English, we may be misunderstanding the “because” in Jesus’ statement.  In the original language, it may be that Jesus was saying: “Stop holding onto me.  Stop clinging, Mary!  I have to ascend to my Father, so run quickly and tell the others.  Tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God!”

“Stop clinging, Mary!  Run and tell!”  So she did.  As hard as it can be to let go of those lowest moments, or those greatest moments, she did.  She ran to tell the others that, emerging out from their grief, Life had arose!

 

There can be no doubt that Mary Magdalene loved her Risen Lord!  There should be no doubt—through our lives—that we do, too!  Amen.

 

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