When someone remembers our name we feel loved, valued and empowered. This is is what Jesus does with Mary Magdalene, and all of us. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Easter Tuesday can be found here.
Some people have a knack for remembering names – they are introduced to a person once and the name sticks in their head straight away. Others are quite hopeless; no matter how many times they are told a person’s name, they can never recall it. Remembering names is not just a gift – there are techniques which can help. One is to conjure up a mental picture as soon as you’re told someone’s name. For example, a person called Rose will make you think of the person holding a big bunch of red roses. Next time you meet the person you will recall the image and so their name. When someone remembers our name it makes us feel valued and special; when they forget it, it’s as though our very existence has failed to register.
In our Gospel today Mary Magdalene is grief-stricken and fearful as she stands outside the empty tomb. Not only has her Lord been executed, it now appears that the body has been stolen as well. Like with the disciples on the Emmaus Road, Mary fails to recognise the risen Jesus when she encounters him. It is only when he calls her by name that she realises this is the same Lord who knew her, valued her, and loved her during his earthly ministry. The remembrance of her name, and the empowerment which comes with it, transforms Mary. She goes from being sad and afraid to the first witness of the Resurrection. The crowd that Peter is addressing in our reading from Acts is similarly transformed from fear to hope. As soon as he says that the promise of the Holy Spirit is “for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself” – calls by name, in fact – they come forward with joy to be baptised.
There’s a double challenge for us in these readings. First, may we accept that God knows us and calls us by name; may that knowledge transform us to be confident witnesses like Mary. Second, whose name can we remember, treasure in our heart, and then use, so that the person knows they are loved and valued, and empowered for God’s work in the world?
Mass today is in St Mary’s at 6.30pm.
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