Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him, “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 of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her. (John 20:16-18)
Jesus had died and his beloved friend Mary of Magdala was beside herself with grief. Then, all of a sudden, Jesus appears to her — very much alive! — and calls her by name. She naturally embraced him, kissed him, and hugged him tight, hoping she would never again be separated from him. He says something strange, “Stop holding on to me.”
Surely, he understood how thrilled she was to see him alive, and how her love drove her to give him a prolonged embrace. Yet he says, “Stop holding on to me,” because he has a mission for her. He sends her as the “apostle to the Apostles,” the first one to announce the resurrection to them. This gift of the resurrection that gave Mary so much hope and joy was not only a gift for her, but a gift to be shared with all she met, beginning with the apostles of Jesus. She was the first evangelizer, telling the Good News to others who did not yet know it.
We come to encounter the same risen Jesus whenever we participate in the celebration of the Eucharist. We come with our doubts, our sorrows and our burdens; and we embrace Jesus so that he can call each of us by name, showing us his healing love. But we, too, are told not to “hold on” to him as if he had only made himself present for our sake. He sends us out to our families, our neighbors, schoolmates and coworkers, to demonstrate with our words and our lives that this Savior who gave his life for us lives forever with us.
Sometimes we share faith only with those who already know the Lord Jesus. While this is a good thing, it can also be “clingy.” We cling to what is familiar and less risky, because we know that speaking of Jesus to those who do not know him at all — or who know him only as a historical person — can bring us rejection and criticism. We cling in safety to those members of the body of Christ we already know and who already share their faith with us. But Jesus continues to remind us: “Stop holding on to me.” He sends us out away from himself so that we can bring others closer to him.
So many people still believe that Jesus is still in the tomb — whether a tomb on earth or a “tomb” in heaven. They have no idea that he loves each person here on earth and wants to be present to them. How will they ever know unless we who have embraced the risen Lord Jesus do not cling to him, but go out to bring others to his saving embrace? The whole world is thirsting for this Good News! And Jesus depends on us to stop clinging to our securities and to go out to tell the Good News. What a great privilege we have been given to experience and share the joy of the risen Lord!
A happy Easter season to you all!
