Mt 28:1-10 (cont.)
In my initial visit to this Easter morning account, the process of comparing and contrasting with St. Mark's version may have led me to cover too much ground. Let me see if I can manage to do more with less this time.
There is no task of love motivating the Marys visit in Matthew's account, just two heartbroken women who are still trying to say goodbye to a person they loved deeply. Come to think of it, we don't get much discussion of the "other Mary," who is probably the same woman Mark describes as the mother of James; there is some question about whether this might also be whom St. John recounts as standing by the cross with Jesus' mother: Mary, the wife of Clopas. All of which is to say: it isn't clear whether she was herself mourning Jesus or just supporting Mary Magdalene in her grief. Based on the joy she subsequently shares at the words of the angel, I tend to believe that it is the former. So the beginning of this scene has at least one and likely two grief-stricken women approaching a place of death with no expectation of finding anything but a place to continue to grieve, to come to grips with Jesus' passing.
What a blessing it is for them to become the first people to see and then to proclaim the risen Lord! As when a friend receives an unanticipated and unprecedented blessing, I find my heart fills with joy for them.
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