“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).” John 20:16 (NIV)
A few weeks ago I was meeting a friend and my sister for coffee at Kneaders. I filled up my coffee cup and turned to head toward the table.
“Louise.”
I heard my name shouted from several tables away. Instantly l felt like I was 16 again and in high school. I turned and looked at the man who yelled my name. It was an old friend from high school. I hadn’t seen him since I was a senior.
We both have changed. Life has left its mark on us. That’s a polite way of saying we have aged. It’s been 24 years.
But interestingly enough, when we began to talk, we were like two kids catching up. We weren’t middle aged, no, we were young again.
I haven’t experienced anything quite like this before. I tell you when he shouted my name, immediately I was back in high school. And in that moment I honestly felt 16.
This reminded me of a passage in John. Jesus had died on the cross and been buried. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with spices. She is preparing herself to pay respects to her Lord. Can you imagine what she was thinking?
She arrives to find the tomb empty. What has happened? Where is His body? She is greeted by two angels and Jesus, himself. She does not recognize Jesus. He speaks to her and she does not recognize Him.
But then, He says her name, “Mary.” Immediately she knows who He is. What emotions did hearing her name evoke within her? She goes from feeling overwhelmed with grief to pure joy. In that moment of hearing Him say her name, all her fears are washed away.
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine our Lord saying your name. How do you feel? He calls to you and washes away your fears, your anxiety, your worry and replaces it with pure joy.
