What are we to do? April 10

“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” John 20:15

Piety

Jesus, we continue to search for your active presence in our lives. Please give us the understanding of Mary Magdalene to recognize Your Goodness when it is revealed to us. Please give us the unquestioning faith of the women in John’s Gospel to believe what you teach us. Please give us the fortitude to take up the mission that you reserve for us. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/041007.shtml

When you read John’s Gospel, the role gender plays in acceptance of the message of the Lord is revealed in very interesting ways.

The women hear the message and obey. The men are, more often than not, caught in doubt. Today, we see Mary Magdalene depicted as the first mortal to whom the risen Christ appears. And Mary’s reaction is a reaction of obedience immediately preaching the message the “The Lord is Risen” to her community.

Her seeking, her listening and her reaction to Jesus follows the pattern set forth earlier in John’s Gospel. In Chapter 2, it was Mary, the mother of Jesus, who showed us at Cana the ability to have faith in the words and works of Jesus. Then, in chapter 4, John introduces us to the faithful servant, the woman at the well. In chapter 8, we meet the faith of the woman convicted of committing adultery.

For the men, it’s another story. Nicodemus comes around, eventually, but not until he has a midnight session with Jesus and then finds himself defending Jesus in front of other Pharisees. Phillip, who wants to disperse the crowd from the Sermon on the Mount before Jesus performs the miracle of the loaves and fishes because he fears there is not enough money to buy food to feed everyone. Peter, too, comes around, but not until after he denies Jesus three times, locks himself in the upper room and tries to resort to his old profession of fishing.

This is not to say there are not faithful men depicted by John because there certainly are: the Roman official, the man who was crippled for 38 years, and others. But Jesus holds a special place for women who react to Jesus without doubt and John shows that repeatedly.

As the Jews asked Peter in Acts, “What are we to do?” After the Resurrection, we hear Jesus asking the same question he was asking at the start of his ministry – that question is “What are you looking for?” Even though He knows the answer, He asks us to come to him, tell him the truth, and pick up the cross he has reserved with our name inscribed. How will you answer Jesus’ question?

Action

Think of a special woman, or women, in your life. Thank them for their contribution to you life and your spirituality.