Scripture Scribbles: March 31, 2024 - The Resurrection of the Lord

the Gospel

John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

the devotion

One of my favorite stain glass windows pictures Mary Magdala embracing Jesus at the foot of the cross. Three days later, Mary Magdala, overwhelmed with grief, fails to trust in Jesus’s promise of rising again. “They have taken the Lord from the tomb,

and we don’t know where they put him.” She assumes Jesus was stolen. Like Mary of Magdala, there are times when I am crushed by such an overwhelming negative mindset, that I am blinded to the wonderful promises and presence of God.

I remember one day sitting in Church, thinking about every possible thing that was going wrong in my life past, present, and anticipated future. I was feeling totally defeated until He reminded me, “How can you forget all the good things that I have done for you?” I burst into tears, ashamed of my ungratefulness, not seeing Jesus and all the blessings that far exceeded any sufferings. Jesus was always present and carried me through those seemingly hopeless times.

Peter and John “saw” with the eyes of faith “and believed” in Jesus’s resurrection. Though we may fail to see Him, we encounter the resurrected Jesus everywhere: in the seven Sacraments (especially the Eucharist, His sacred body, precious blood, soul, and divinity); in prayer, sending us His Holy Spirit; speaking to us in the Scriptures; present in everything that is good, true, and beautiful. Let the risen Lord Jesus Christ transform our hearts, so we can bring Him to each other and change the world. Happy Easter!

Today’s devotion was written by Karen Molvar