Tuesday, April 19, 2011
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2020&version=NIV
Reading: John 20:11-18
Reflection: Have you ever been inside a cave before the sun came up? I have. Let me tell you, not only is it a bit spooky, it is very, very dark. It is hard to see your hand in front of your face, let alone where your next step is going to be. I bring that up because sometimes people question the fact that, in our reading today, Mary does not recognize Jesus. However, we are told that Mary had gone to the tomb "before it was light." Now, its true that some time has passed, so there could be a little light...but perhaps not much. In those situations, it would indeed be hard to recognize someone. In addition, she would naturally assume that this was not Jesus. Remember, she has gone to annoint a dead body. She has no expectation of Jesus being alive. So, we have here a very emotionally upset woman at a time of little light inside a cave like tomb who is not expecting to see Jesus. No wonder she didn't recognize him. We might have to question it if she did.
It's not until she hears Jesus speak her name that she recognizes him. So, unlike Peter and John who seem to believe as a result of the visible evidence, Mary believes as a result of a personal encounter. Later, in Luke's gospel, we see two disciples coming to faith as a result of the biblical record. So, it seems that there are multiple ways that people come to faith. Some are convinced by the consistency and clarity of scripure, some by carefully evaluated evidence, and others like Mary through personal encounter. It's not as though Mary could care less about the bible or about evidence. It's just that, for her, a personal encounter needed to open her eyes. So, rather than ask why she didn't initially recognize who Jesus was, let's celebrate that she got what she needed to understand and believe.
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