Rabboni!                            

John 20: 1-18 v 11 “Mary was standing outside the tomb crying and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.”

Early on Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciples. “They have taken the Lord’s body. Peter and the other disciples started out for the tomb. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first went in, and he saw and believed- Jesus must rise from the dead. Mary was standing outside the tomb crying and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. “Dear women why are you crying?” “Because they have taken away my Lord.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. Jesus asked her, “Who are you looking for?” “Mary”, Jesus said. She turned to look at Him and cried out, “Rabboni” (which is Hebrew for “teacher”) Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!”

Mary had a job to do. To take care of the body of Jesus after He had died. That’s what you do for a good friend, you treat them like family.  Still overwhelmed by His death, she easily cried when things were not as they should have been showing a deep connection to the man, He was. Then when she saw Him alive, she only recognized Him when she heard Him say her name, a God moment, as she acknowledged Him as “Rabboni”. Jesus still wants a close relationship with us, look for Him today, as we can see from this encounter that He is alive and will say your name.

Holy God, who showed us your love by sending and raising your Son so that all could see how wonderful you are. Thank you. Open our eyes so that we can see you in this world today, and what you have to teach us!  Amen.