Stop holding on to me

Greetings on this the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene
Readings: SGS 3:1-4B; PS 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 20:1-2, 11-18

Grief

In our gospel portion today Mary Magdalene is suffering the heartbreak of grief. Yes, even the followers of Jesus suffered grief even having known the assurances of the immediacy of God’s love. There is just something about being able to hold onto someone and hug them and see and hear them. It’s the sensate of love. It is our human experience.

The pain of grief is the assurance of the presence of love. Grief is an awareness that the ordinary ways we love and express love must find a new expression as we can no longer see, hear, touch the beloved. Jesus said to Mary, Stop holding onto me. He, of course, loves her and is also wanting to give her all he is even in the moment when the giving has changed. Stop holding onto me could be understood at the level of an actual tight hug and could also mean (in parallel or instead) the newness that must be embraced. Jesus is about to ascend to the Father. Our love, Mary, must ascend higher too.

Summary

Mary Magdalene was called to the Higher Love which is a difficult journey. You are near. You are far. You are always in my heart. At it’s very height is agape love. Universal, sacrificial and with fullness. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit (Jn 12:24).

It is ironic for us (we are limited in our understanding) but we can see the effects. Grief ‘forces us’ to share the love of the beloved as love for the many others other in our life in its broadest and most sincere application. Mary Magdalene is called the Apostle to the Apostles. What did she give them? How she moved grief to agape love. How they too must express grief-love as universal love. Just like the Lord.

Reference: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201606/these-are-the-7-types-of-love#:~:text=Agape,for%20the%20welfare%20of%20others.

Reflection

May you find relief in your grief. The painful experience is unique to each of us and is a journey that seems so lonely. Yet it is the seed of the universal love. Allow your grief to move you to Higher Love.

Personal Reflection

We have the assurances of the Resurrection and Ascension to Heaven. Yet, like Mary, we are here learning the fullness of love. I never expected grief to be the teacher. But there it is. Even as I type this it puts a smile on my face. My Mom (2/5/2020), still teaching me after all these years.

But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

Sacred Readings

Full link: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072224.cfm

First Reading

Have you seen him whom my heart loves? I had hardly left them when I found him whom my heart loves.

Responsorial

My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Gospel Acclamation

Tell us Mary, what did you see on the way? I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.

Gospel

• And they [the Angels] said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
• Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going 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 then reported what he told her.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry