Category: Today’s Devotional

Reflection on today’s Bible Reading (John 20:1-2, 11-18):

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag’dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-bo’ni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” 18Mary Mag’dalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

GOSPEL REFLECTION FOR TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:

In today’s devotional, we encounter one of the most profound and transformative events in the Christian faith—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This narrative is deeply personal and intimate, highlighting Mary Magdalene’s journey from despair to joy.

Early Morning at the Tomb

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.'”

Mary Magdalene’s early visit to the tomb demonstrates her deep devotion to Jesus. Despite the darkness—both literal and metaphorical—she seeks Him, showing her unwavering love and commitment. Her immediate reaction to the empty tomb is one of panic and confusion, reflecting the raw and human emotions of grief. She fears that Jesus’ body has been taken, compounding her sorrow.

Encounter with the Risen Lord

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).”

Mary’s sorrow is profound, but it sets the stage for a miraculous revelation. Her encounter with the angels highlights her deep despair, as even their presence does not immediately alleviate her grief. The pivotal moment occurs when Jesus Himself appears to her. Initially, she does not recognize Him, mistaking Him for the gardener. This moment of misrecognition is significant—it illustrates how grief and expectations can cloud our vision, preventing us from seeing the divine presence right before us.

The turning point is when Jesus calls her by name, “Mary.” This personal and intimate address breaks through her sorrow and confusion. It is in hearing her name that she recognizes Jesus. This moment underscores the importance of personal relationship with Christ; He knows us individually and calls us by name.

The Commission

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”‘ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Jesus’ instruction to Mary not to hold on to Him is profound. It signifies that His resurrection is not a return to the old way of life but the beginning of something new. His ascension to the Father marks a new phase in the relationship between God and humanity. Jesus commissions Mary to be the first witness of His resurrection, entrusting her with the message of His ascension. This commission is a powerful affirmation of her role and a testament to her faithfulness.

Mary’s proclamation, “I have seen the Lord,” is the first Easter message, marking the transition from despair to joy, from mourning to proclamation. Her encounter with the risen Christ transforms her into a witness of the resurrection, a role that all Christians are called to embrace.

Conclusion

As we reflect on today’s devotional, we are invited to consider our own encounters with the risen Lord. Like Mary, we may sometimes be overwhelmed by grief or blinded by our expectations. Yet, Jesus calls us by name, inviting us into a personal and transformative relationship with Him. We are called to recognize Him in our midst and to share the good news of His resurrection with others. May we, like Mary, move from sorrow to joy and become faithful witnesses of the risen Christ.

Today’s devotional emphasizes the personal and transformative nature of the resurrection encounter, encouraging readers to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus and to share the joy of His resurrection.

You may also want to read “366 Days of Compassion: One Year Catholic Devotional”.

“It would not be in our best interest to always remain in one happy and comfortable location.  Therefore He moves us forward.  The shepherd leaves the fold so the sheep will move on to the vitalizing mountain slopes… It could never be better to stay once He determines otherwise; if the loving hand of our Lord moves us forward, it must be best.” – Streams in the Desert

There comes a time in our life when we become complacent.  We don’t want anymore changes.  We care not anymore for challenges that would try our strength.  We just want to live a quiet and simple life away from all the noise and clutter of the world.

God knows however when we do need rest and when we have to move on and grow.  He knows that we have but a limited time on earth and He wants to make full use of each moment that we have to reap for us eternal rewards.

Is God calling you now to move on and follow the Shepherd who wants the best for you?

“Is it always necessary to leave?”

“It’s always necessary to know when a stage of one’s life has ended.  If you stubbornly cling to it after the need has passed, you lose the joy and meaning of the rest.  And you risk being shaken to your senses by God.”  – Paulo Coelho, The Fifth Mountain

“You will be called by a new name, a name given by the Lord himself.” – Isaiah 62:2, GNT

Who am I? Who do I really want to be? Who should I be?

Could such questions become our stumbling block in discovering our true vocation and identity?

There are times when I must admit that I’m afraid somewhat to not get the answers I want. There is a fear in me that the true self I might find wouldn’t be as good or as special as the false self I have always tried to build on my own.

I must understand however that it is only the true self which can give us fulfillment. It is this TRUE SELF that is best both for me and for those around me. The false self may be easy to build, but it would also easily crumble. It is touchy and defensive and survives in trying to cover up what is real deep within. While I may fool the world with an illusion of it, I would always have to live with who I really am.

It isn’t easy however to shift from creating an illusion of a false self to achieving one’s true identity and purpose. It would require that I die first to myself and that I surrender to God’s purposes for my life. Only in the Maker could the instrument ever find its real worth.

“See what I was in myself and by myself. I had destroyed myself, but He Who made me remade me.” -St. Augustine

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”– Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, NIV

Have you ever found yourself looking at a beautiful scenery that you felt you could fix your eyes upon its beauty and never ever tire of looking at it? Have you ever listened to such an enchanting song that you felt you never wanted it to end? Have you ever experienced such a blissful moment that you wanted to remain in it for as long as you ever could?

There are moments when we are blessed like that, moments when we are not filled with anxiety for the future or regrets for the past. All that we know is that we are happy in the present, and if we could choose to, we’d rather freeze that moment and never let it go.

It is true that many times, we can’t always predict those moments. We could never copy exactly a beautiful moment so we could repeat it over and over again.

But we could allow for more of those moments to come into our lives by spending more quiet time instead of always hurrying about. We could allow more of those moments if we could let go more of our anxieties and try to fix our eyes on what is good and positive instead of what is lacking in our lives.

There are moments that are more powerful than minutes, minutes that are more important than hours, and hours that are even more precious than days wasted and unlived. How are you spending the moments that you have today?

“He has also set eternity in the human heart…”– Ecclesiastes 3:10

When I was still studying, one of my favorite subjects was Science. I was very curious then, and I wanted to learn many things. I wanted to know more about the planets and the stars. I wanted to know how the universe works.

Today, much has already been discovered. More stars have been named. Many theories have been formulated as to how the universe ever began.

One thing however still fascinates me, and that is what ETERNITY really means. What does it mean to live without end? What does it mean to have existed forever?

One thing is certain though. That God truly has etched eternity upon our hearts. Somewhere within us, we long for it. Somewhere deep within us, there is a part that cries out against death and not being able to go on.

When I think about ETERNITY, I sometimes imagine how God is already with my future self, and what a wonder it is to know how I’ve become! In the same way, it’s a wonder to know that God has already known me even before I was born. In fact, considering all these things, God has known me forever! I have existed forever within the mind of God.

Whenever I get impatient in this life, may I always remember how short it is compared to that wonderful eternity God has given us all.