Prayer:  Jesus, fill me with Magdalen’s love and devotion to you.

Imagination:  (Picture Magdalen at the tomb with Jesus.)


This is a very rich text, containing many teachings for both devotion and doctrine.  Magdalen stays at the empty tomb, thinking the body has been stolen.  Jesus appears and reveals who he is.  She grasps Jesus but Jesus tells her not to hold him because he is ascending to the Father. A new relationship now exists.  Jesus is preparing the way to heaven.

Gospel Text:  (Read slowly, possibly aloud)

After the disciples left, Magdalene remained at the tomb, weeping.  When she looked into the tomb, she saw two angels dressed in white, one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”  She said, “Because they have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have placed him.”

Turning around, she saw Jesus standing there, but did not know it was he.  Jesus said, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have taken him, tell me where you have put him and I will take him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary”.  She replied, “Rabboni (meaning “Master”).  Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.  Go to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God.”  Mary went and told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord and these are the things he has told me.”


  1.  Magdalen’s love is greater than the two apostles. She alone stays at the tomb.
  2. She listens to her heart, not to her head.
  3. She acts quite irrationally.  She sees angels but doesn’t question why they are standing in the tomb.
  4. She sees a man and asks him to return the body (if he has stolen it.)
  5. Her physical eyes do not recognize Jesus because his glorified body has been transformed.
  6. However, she recognizes his voice.  Jesus, the good Shepherd, calls her by name.
  7. She embraces Jesus as if nothing has changed, but he is ascending to the Father.
  8. Everything is new.  The disciples are now Jesus’ brothers and sisters, and God is their Father.
  9. Magdalen becomes the Apostle to the Apostles – telling them that she had seen the Lord.


  1. Where are you, Lord?
  2. I am searching for you with all my heart.
  3. I embrace you, Jesus.
  4. You are ascending so that I can ascend with you.
  5. Let my tears prepare for your coming.
  6. Jesus, call me by name.
  7. O Jesus, you have made God my Father.
  8. Make me an apostle. I will tell all my friends about your rising.

Resolution:  (Possibly you might want to make your own)

  1. I will ask Jesus for Magdalene’s generosity.
  2. I will listen for Jesus to call me by name.

Thought for Today:  (To recall your meditation)
