Date: Sunday, April 05, 2015
I received an Easter card with a copy of an icon painted on the cover depicting a woman in red talking with eleven men. Inside the card the woman is identified as Mary of Magdala. She is an apostle to the apostles. “Apostle” means “one who is sent.” In the ancient world women are not considered reliable witnesses. But Mary Magdalene is credible. She is healed by Jesus, accompanies him in his public ministry and watches when he dies a horrible death on the cross. All four evangelists attest that she comes to the tomb early on the first day of the week and finds it empty. At first she misreads the situation thinking someone has taken his lifeless body. But then she remembers the words of Jesus before his death and Jesus, the Risen Lord, appears to her. She sees him. Now she can announce with conviction and joy that Jesus, the crucified, has been raised. We too need to listen attentively to the living Word of God and to see Jesus hidden in our world. We encounter him disguised in the poor. Jesus assures us: “What you do to the least of my brothers and sisters you do to me.” In baptism there is a rite called: “Ephphatha.” “Ephphatha” is an Aramaic word that Jesus says when he heals a person deaf and mute. It means: “Be open!” As we renew our baptismal promises we pray that our eyes will be open to see Jesus present in our world, our ears will be open to hear his voice, and our mouths will be open to announce his resurrection. “Alleluia. Alleluia. He is Risen. Alleluia. Alleluia.”