＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Song of Songs 3:1-4B (or Corinthians 5:14-17)

 On my bed at night

 I looked for the one I love, I sought him without finding him; I called him and he did not answer.  I will rise and go about the city, through the streets and the squares; I will seek the love of my heart…

 I sought him without finding him; the watchmen came upon me, those who patrol the city. “Have you seen the love of my heart?” As soon as I left them, I found the love of my heart. I held him and would not let him go

till I had brought him to my mother’s house to the room of her who conceived me.

 

Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

My soul is thirsting for you, Lord my God.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 20:1-2, 11-18

Now, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away.   She ran to Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. And she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have laid him.”

 Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she bent down to look inside; she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, “Woman, why are you weep­­ing?” She answered, “Because they have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him.”

 As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, “Wo­man, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and answered him, “Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni” – which means, Master. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God.”

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and this is what he said to me.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Mary of Magdala takes center stage in our gospel today. After all, among the women disciples of the Lord, she is perhaps second to the Blessed Virgin in terms of closeness to Jesus. Proof of this is her leadership in taking care of the dead body of the Lord after the crucifixion. In other biblical accounts, she is with two other women.

In this particular passage, only she is mentioned. What made her brave the darkness in going to the tomb early on? It is her deep love for Jesus that lend her courage to do so. Her effort is rewarded with an empty tomb. She immediately concludes that somebody took the body of Jesus.

The resurrection is still a far possibility curing the time. It is only when somebody called her name that she recongnized her Lord and Teacher standing in front of her. Because of this, she was the first to see Easter breaking forth. It was she who informed the other disciples of this joyful news. In Mary of Magdala, hope is once again renewed among the disciples.