Without any idea of what has actually happened, Mary has no hope. All she wants is the body, so that she can prepare Jesus for burial. Why does she not recognise Jesus? Her eyes dimmed by tears? Jesus’ resurrection body being different? No concept of resurrection? We can’t be sure, but what she discovers is a total surprise. The disciples were not expecting Jesus to rise. When he did, it was not wish fulfilment; it was a genuine, surprising, unexpected raising of the dead to life.

Amazing and unexpected it may have been. Unique and world changing it certainly was. But the risen Jesus is revealed in simple everyday places and actions, like speaking a name in a garden. Why should Mary not hold on to Jesus? After all, Jesus wants his followers to stay close, remaining in him (John 15:1–17). He has not yet ascended but he will. Change is coming.

Mary wants things to stay as they are. She must learn to relate to Jesus in a different way. There is always more to discover about Jesus, and sometimes that will mean letting go of old experiences and ways of thinking about him, in order to find him in new ways. Holding on to yesterday’s understanding and experience may hold us back.

Bring any situations where you may be feeling fearful and uncertain to Jesus. Ask for his presence to enfold you and give you the courage to be faith-full.

By the time Mary gets back to the tomb, Peter and John may be long gone, fearful of attracting the attention of the authorities. Grief-stricken and weeping, Mary stands by the tomb before she finally bends down and dares to look in. We’re not told whether the angels were previously present and just not discerned (as in the experience of Elisha’s servant¹), but Mary sees them now, their radiance (‘in white’, v 12) filling the tomb as they sit respectfully at the head and foot of the place where Jesus’ body had lain.

The angels’ question is deceptively simple, provoking a deeper response of faith beyond the obvious. Mary has no hope save the desperate one to find Jesus’ remains. Even when she finally realises someone is standing outside, she is hoping for no more than fittingly reverencing his body. Eyes filled with tears and panicky, not seemingly facing him full on, as we often do to hide our emotions from a stranger, she doesn’t recognise the one she is seeking until he speaks her name. Then Mary turns towards Jesus and runs to embrace him in excited joy.

However, though Jesus is risen, though death has not been the end, Jesus gently but firmly insists that things cannot be as they were before: Jesus’ resurrection illustrates both continuity and discontinuity. These appearances are a grace, a proof positive of the resurrection’s reality, yet they will come to an end when Jesus’ earthly life, even in this resurrected state, will itself come to an end with the Ascension. Mary, full of joy, dashes away to witness no longer to a puzzling absence but to an astonishing presence: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ (v 18).

Jesus said that he only did what he saw the Father doing.² Ask that you can come to recognise what he’s doing around you – and get involved.

¹ 2 Kings 6:15–17  ² John 5:19