I saw the Lord. Mt 28,8-15

We know that right-hand information is more trustworthy than fame: a lady said…
The events following the resurrection of the Lord Jesus are well known to us. Yet, we pay attention to them in the exact chronological sequence as they followed, as recorded by those who witnessed them or who learned the credibility of the witnesses to the events.

In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus is recorded. John recorded this event from two perspectives. First, let us note that the disciples did not expect the Lord Jesus to be resurrected. This is indicated by what the women wanted to do. They rushed to anoint the dead body of Christ, as was the custom. If they had expected the resurrection of Christ, the women would not have run to the tomb of Jesus with ointments at dawn on Sunday. We can also explain the encounter with the angels, who were probably the guard of honor at Christ’s tomb, by saying that when Mary finds the tomb empty, she does not think that Christ could have risen from the dead. Still, she feels that someone has taken the dead body out of the tomb and buried it in another place. Perhaps from the Jews who hated Jesus, or possibly other enemies of Christ, so as not to give him peace even after death.

The words also suggest this to the supposed gardener: “Lord, if thou hast taken him away, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him.” (Jn 20:15). We see a change in Mary Magdalene’s mind, indicated by John the Apostle’s second statement. What was it that sparked belief in the resurrection of Christ?
Let us realize what the closest associates of Jesus experienced. They cowardly betrayed and abandoned Jesus. Let us note the hatred of the leaders of the nation, the chief priests, Pilate, the synedrion. All of this speaks against the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We know that the history of Christ on earth ends with His death on the cross.
The history of the mystical Christ begins with his resurrection. Therefore, we already understand that Mary did not immediately know Jesus. Jesus’s body is no longer subject to nature’s laws, yet she recognizes him by his voice when he addresses her. She immediately sees that it is him and that he is truly alive. He who loved her so much that he forgave her sins. That is why Jesus does not want to receive her love. He doesn’t want her to touch him but sends her to the apostles? Why? The answer is more acceptable to us today. The risen Jesus wants to strengthen the faith of his disciples; he wants to gather them again to lay the foundations for the future communion of the Church. He would like to teach them about the meaning of his death and about the mission he completed by dying on the cross.

We can also explain this by the words of Mary, which she said when she first met the apostles, “I have seen the Lord.” (Jn 20:18). These are the words of the Easter faith. Today, this is also relevant as we approach the Eucharist and listen to the Scriptures. It also enables us to convene: We see the Lord! This is the motive for us to believe in the risen Christ.

What the Gospel describes to us often takes place in our lives. We want to convince ourselves of faith, so we look for Christ in our surroundings. It is a pity that we seek him mainly with our eyes and not with our hearts because the heart can see more than our eyes. With the heart, we are more likely to reach the goal of our search. Under the influence of the events we recall, let us seek the presence of the Lord Jesus in our hearts, which, however, must be cleansed of our sins. Pain and tears may obscure the sight of the Lord Jesus, but the heart knows Him safely.
In the search, one often finds oneself before an empty tomb. There it often happens that many doubts and anxieties arise. Death, the end, extinction. For us, however, other words already apply. For us, Christ’s resurrection is a sign of joy, victory, and hope. This is not only what we ponder these days, but we also believe it. We know who it was who rose from the dead, and therefore we believe in his victory, in our salvation.

For us, the risen Christ means that everything we do with Christ has meaning and value because he is our hope. This is what the Church teaches us, what the Gospels, the authentic witnesses, the genuine observers tell us, and so he is our certainty on the road to eternal life.

For us, the Resurrection is not just a matter of words, but above all, it is a call to the works necessary for our life here on earth and especially for eternity.