They have taken the Lord from the tomb

EASTER SUNDAY 12 APRIL (Jn 20,1-9)

Mary of Magdala does not sleep. We can apply to her what the Song of Songs says about the bride. The spiritual, mystical meaning is very high: “I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gather my myrrh and my spices, I eat my honey and my sweetmeats, I drink my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; drink! Drink freely of love! I was sleeping, but my heart kept vigil; I heard my lover knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one! For my head is wet with dew, my locks with the moisture of the night.” I have taken off my robe, am I then to put it on? I have bathed my feet, am I then to soil them? My lover put his hand through the opening; my heart trembled within me, and I grew faint when he spoke. I rose to open to my lover, with my hands dripping myrrh: With my fingers dripping choice myrrh upon the fittings of the lock. I opened to my lover – but my lover had departed, gone. I sought him but I did not find him; I called to him but he did not answer me. The watchmen came upon me as they made their rounds of the city; They struck me, and wounded me, and took my mantle from me, the guardians of the walls. I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my lover – What shall you tell him?- that I am faint with love”.

How does your lover differ from any other, O most beautiful among women? How does your lover differ from any other, that you adjure us so? My lover is radiant and ruddy; he stands out among thousands. His head is pure gold; his locks are palm fronds, black as the raven. His eyes are like doves beside running waters, His teeth would seem bathed in milk, and are set like jewels. His cheeks are like beds of spice with ripening aromatic herbs. His lips are red blossoms; they drip choice myrrh. His arms are rods of gold adorned with chrysolites. His body is a work of ivory covered with sapphires. His legs are columns of marble resting on golden bases. His stature is like the trees on  Lebanon, imposing as the cedars. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is all delight. Such is my lover, and such my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem” (Song 5,1-16). Mary of Magdala does not find Jesus in the grave. It is empty. She thinks of a stealing. She goes to Simon Peter and John to ask for help in her search. The two disciples are not interested in Mary. They run to the sepulcher. It is empty, but in great order. We don’t know the heart of Peter. We don’t know what his mind and heart thought. Instead, John’s faith is revealed. He has seen and believed. Afterwards, they leave, once again disinterested in Mary of Magdala. She had asked for help, but in vain.

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.

For the Apostle John, the resurrection is a true theological event, as the whole mystery of Christ is a theological event. Christ Jesus lives his mystery of death and resurrection as written for him on the scroll of the Book. Being Jesus a true theological event, from Christ we must necessarily pass to the Father. Christ Jesus is the mystery of salvation for every man. Redemption is not a fact of Christ, it is the true work of God for the whole world. Being a fact of God for the world, those who believe in the true God are obliged to respect the will of God written in Christ Jesus for every man. Whoever loves man cannot fail to announce to him the salvation that is in the Only Son of God. Christ is not an ecclesial fact. Every member of the Church must give Christ.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, free us from all falsehood and lies about Christ Jesus.