She Turned
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 20: 11-18 - Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“…she turned…”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Mary Magdalene is one of the most fascinating and beautiful figures in all of the Scriptures. She had been lost deeply in sin, had lived a disgraceful life, and was possessed by seven demons (St. Mark tells us so). This is where the Lord found her, and He healed her. And because of this, she loved Him greatly. It is not a coincidence that of all the people to whom Jesus could have come to reveal the new life of the Resurrection, He comes first to her. By choosing Mary, he shows that he wants to introduce sinners to a completely new life of grace.
Mary assumes that Jesus is the gardener at the beginning of this Gospel story. St. John mentions this misunderstanding because it is significant to the full meaning of the Gospel. Here, Jesus is meant to remind us of Adam, the first man, a gardener, whom God placed in the Garden of Eden. In the Garden, Adam had communion with God until he sinned. Now, once again in a garden, God has restored man to communion with Him through the “New Adam,” Jesus. Mary doesn’t recognize this at first. Notice that in the Gospel she turns twice. She is already facing Jesus, unrecognized, it seems, when St. John says again, “she turned.” This time her heart also turns. Now she sees truly that goodness is stronger than sin, that life is stronger than death, that Jesus is victorious, and that we who are disgraceful sinners have victory with Him. In prayer, turn and look at the Risen Jesus!
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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