Easter 2021

Magdalene Catholic College has an extra strong connection to the Easter story because our patron, Mary Magdalene, was the first witness to the resurrection, according to the Gospel stories. 

John 20: 19

11 Now 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 He asked her, “Woman, 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)

Mary Magdalene then went and told the Apostles that Jesus was risen from the dead, although they did not believe her at the time. 

Why was Mary Magdalene even at the tomb? Because she has compassion and she was carrying out rituals for the dead. Do we care for those who are sick or dying, and do we pray for their loved ones and reach out with a helping hand. 

Would we have the courage to share the Good News with the doubting apostles or our friends and families? Maybe what made this possible was Mary’s love for Jesus and her love for the apostles. Even if some people reject us we may still need to reach out to them in love, for their own good. The apostles needed to know about the risen Christ. Who needs to know about Jesus in our lives?

Let’s finish with a reflection by the Carmelite nuns:

‘Easter not only is the foundation of our faith, Easter also invigorates our hope. Hope draws our eyes upward, where God resides. Saint Paul encourages us: “Therefore, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4)’.

(https://carmelitesistersocd.com/2017/a-reflection-on-easter/  )