The Morning Prayer today included a gospel lesson from John chapter 20:
“11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher)”
This put me in touch with how I often long to see Jesus, to experience his presence; how, like Mary I am so often right in His presence without even realizing it. Jesus calls Mary by name, and in that naming, she comes to recognize who she is speaking with. I resonate with such passages of recognition — I have a painting in my office of the Emmaus meal, when the disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
Those moments of recognition are moments I cherish. It happened for me as I was breezing through Morning Prayer this morning, an act I frequently accomplish with all too little recognition of Jesus’ presence in the moment.
Cherish those moments! I hope God gives you many this day and in the days to come!
