Apr. 14 - Easter Tuesday - "Woman, why are you weeping?"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the Gospel for today, we hear Jesus say to Mary Magdalene:

“Woman, why are you weeping?”

It blessed me in several ways to Listen to those words of Jesus and the tenderness with which He must have spoken to Mary Magdalene. It reminded me of both St. Teresa of Avila and Pope St. John Paul II writing about Jesus First going to His Mother on His Resurrection day to console her.

Pondreing further, I remembered the word “Woman” spoken by God in the First Book of the Bible. :

The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said:

“This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

This one shall be called ‘woman,’

for out of man this one has been taken.” (Gen 2: 22-23)

In this scene God uses the word “woman” for Eve – as Adam will name her later, but after Adam and Eve sinned being tempted by the serpent, God speaks to the serpent of another “Woman” yet to come:

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
They will strike at your head,
while you strike at their heel. (Gen 3:15)

I read in some Catholic Commentary that the word “They” has been interpreted in several ways and translated in several ways. “Their heel” also has been given different interpretations, and one is that the “heel” is a lower exremity of the body and hence may refer to the lowly followers of Jesus.

Which brings me back to the scene in the Garden where we hear Jesus speaking to Mary Magdalene with tenderness in His question, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

Mary His Mother is Mother and Model of the Church but may we not “see” by faith Mary Magdalene who like other women in the Church are following their particular call to spiritual or physical Motherhood or both? For me this is worth pondering further.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we praise and thank You for all You have done, and are doing, and will do in Your Love for us. Jesus, we trust in You! Mary Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Joseph, Guardian of the Child Jesus and Protector of Mary and the Church, pray for us. St. Mary Magdalene and all you heavenly Saints and Angels pray for us!

Mass Readings for today can be read at: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041420.cfm

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Cath and Stephie,

Thanks so much for your “faith-full” and loving hearts! I continued to ponder Jesus’ words to Mary Magdalen and through her to the Church. It is such a blessing to pay attention to the Words Jesus speaks and all He does as it is recorded for us in the Scriptures. Today we hear Him speaking to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.

Yesterday I pondered Jesus’s words in reference to the Church and Mary our Mother given to us by Jesus to be Mother of the Church. In calling Mary Magdalene “Woman”, I believe He was speaking to the Church to all of us – men, women and children. clergy and laity. May He help us to remain in His Word (cf Jn 8:31) by the power of His Holy Spirit and the intercession of our Mother Mary.