Run and Announce the News!

We are told that “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples” (Mt. 28:8).  What made them “fearful yet overjoyed?” In the preceding verses we are told that they experienced an earthquake and witnessed the “angel of the Lord” come down, roll over the huge, heavy stone, and sat on it.  He told them that Jesus has been raised from the dead, invited them to see the empty tomb, and instructed them to go and tell the disciples.  So both Mary’s went on their way and while running Jesus came to meet them. 

“And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.  They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.’”

We are told that Jesus went to meet the Mary’s.  I can only imagine Jesus’ coming to them further affirmed and confirmed what the angel had told them. Jesus’ presence among them calmed their fears and encouraged them to run even faster.  The Mary’s went from running being fearful yet overjoyed to just running - as fast as they could to tell Jesus’ brothers the Good News that He has been raised from the dead.  This historical and theological encounter can serve as a model of how we can approach our spiritual life as well as a paradigm of evangelization.  

In the beginning of the account, the two Mary’s go to visit the tomb of Jesus, their close friend.  Similarly we go to Church to visit Our Lord, to draw from Him “strength and glory.”  Perhaps there are times when we do not feel worthy of being in His Presence, and we allow our fears and self-limiting thoughts to keep us from entering into a meaningful relationship with the Lord - our prayer life.  Like the Mary’s we become “fearful,” but unlike them, we are not overjoyed.  Instead, we wallow and dwell upon our sinfulness and limitations, unknowingly and unintentionally closing our hearts off to the Father.  It is at these moments that we must remember how the two Mary’s responded - they saw the angel and were afraid but they only allowed the news of the Resurrection to direct their hearts and move them to mission. In times of fear, anxiety, and guilt we must not dwell, but hand it over to the Lord and allow the Good News to move us to mission.  

We just need to take that first courageous step, despite how daunting it may seem because once we do, Jesus will meet us on the way just as He did with the Mary’s.  God always initiates, but we must choose to cooperate and take that step to “run.”  Run confidently because Jesus will meet us.  Jesus will encounter us.  In the midst of our sinfulness, as long as we persevere, Our Lord will come to encounter us for He longs to do so.  Jesus will encourage us and affirm us.  And we must sit at the foot of Jesus, embrace Him, and listen to Him.  When we do, Jesus will equip us with what we need and will send us on mission, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”  

Where is the Galilee the Lord is calling me to go to today?  When I do arrive there will the people be able to see Christ present in me?   Will I be able to seek the Christ in my brothers there?

We are all called to “Run and Announce the News.”   Will we accept that invitation to go to the Galilee’s we are called to and bring the love and mercy the Resurrected Jesus brings to us?

Let us ask the Father for the grace to trust in His plan and mission for us, and to know that He will give us all that we need to carry out that mission.  It’s time to run and announce the news.

from Advent and Triumph of Christ by Hans Memling

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part I

Selections from Part I of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Younger son (YS) – “give me” mentality, I deserve my inheritance, it belongs to me – I take; “The son is as impatient as the father was kind” (Peter Chrysologus).   (Grasping and grabbing)   Really saying to the Father:  “I wish you were dead.”  It is usually only when someone dies that we receive inheritance. Imagine what takes place during those few days before the son leaves.   When the son leaves and sets off to a distant country, he is not only leaving home, but he is leaving himself.   He wishes to leave his identity behind.   He wants to be his own person.   How often are we tempted by this?   “Be somebody” the world tells us.   Somebody powerful, rich, and famous.   Be somebody.   We are already somebody.   We are God’s beloved.   Each one of us.   We are loved by the Father from all eternity.   “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”   Apart from his father, he has no identity.   By leavin
Read more

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part II

Selections from Part II of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Part II: The Encounter – Reconciliation and Communion “His father caught sight of him.”   What was the father doing all this time?   When the son petitioned to leave, the Father did not plead and cling on to the son.   He lets him go, not because he did not love him.   But because the Father loved him.   In loving him, the Father allowed the son to act in freedom and exercise his free will.   The father said, “Okay, here is your share.   If you want to, you can go.   I will not stop you. The world is not pretty.   It can only offer you temporary comfort and happiness.   You can go, but know that when you go, you will experience pain and suffering.   You will experience a profound sense of loss and lacking.   You will be hurt.   You will be rejected.   But you can go.   Go, but know that this will always be your home.   You may already have your share of the inheritance that should come to you when I die
Read more

People of One Heart and Mind

The portrait painted about the early Church by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles was one that expressed unity and communion.  We are told that "the community of believers was of one heart and mind" (Acts 4:32).  Then we are given a description of how they had put that "one heart and mind" into action - by sharing their time, talent, and treasure.  They were able to do so because they had one mission and were One in the Father. Are we a people of one heart and one mind?  This means do we have God in our hearts?  Do we root our identity and all that we do in the Father and His love?  Then we must ask do we see our mission as one.  The mission Jesus gave to His disciples was to proclaim the Good News to all nations and creatures.  This Good News is the Resurrection.  This Good News is the hope of eternal life.  This Good News is the ransom paid for our freedom from slavery to sin.  This Good News is the love of the Father.  To carry out this mission in proclaimi
Read more

When Jesus Descended into Hell

Image
"Cercate il Suo Volto" is Italian for "Seek His Face" (see Ps. 27:8). I first heard of the Italian phrase from the "Abba Pater" album by Pope John Paul II.  It was the first track of the album.  My high school Junior Theology teacher had introduced me to it and gave me a copy of it.  I am very grateful to him because it opened up for me a more in-depth interest, studying of, and reading of the Scriptures.  And, of course listening to the Pope recite it with inspiring and motivational music in the background made it all the better (not that the Word itself isn't good enough, but you know what I mean!).  Anyways, so why am I bringing this verse from Psalm 27 up?  "Seek His Face." On Holy Thursday we read in the Gospel that Jesus gave the Apostles an example of humble service and true leadership.  To serve is to lead, with love at its core.  On Good Friday we read the Passion Narrative where we hear Our Lord cry in fulfillment of the prophec
Read more

"It is I" - The Three Words that Casts Out All Fear

Image
After a long day, the disciples went ahead of Jesus, sailing to Capernaum.  The winds were blowing, and the skies were dark.  After sailing out a good distance, they saw Jesus walking on water and they began to fear and grow afraid.  At this Jesus said to them, " It is I.  Do not be afraid ." When I read and listen to this Gospel passage I am always reminded of incidences where parents or nurses trying to distract the child as pediatricians are trying to administer vaccinations.  The child is scared and anxious, afraid of the pain that the needle will induce and confused as to who these people are.  But the parent or a kind stranger offers comfort, a smile, or a funny story or joke.  Sometimes even a tasty treat.  All while the pediatrician pinches the child with the needle, injecting a solution that can potentially prevent the child from danger.  When all is done sometimes the child doesn't even remember a shot was administered and sometimes he realized and felt the pa
Read more