CHAPTER III Of the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene in the form of a gardener
CHAPTER III
Of the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene in the form of a gardener
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, to Whom all hearts are open, and from Whom no secrets are hid, for Thy kindly appearance to Thy ardent lover Mary Magdalene, as she stood weeping by Thy Tomb, what time Thou didst vouchsafe to show Thyself to her in the form of a gardener, to reveal to her, of Thy special grace, many secret things of Thy Godhead and mysteries of Thy Manhood, making known to her first of all Thy creatures the certainty of Thy glorious Resurrection, and in place of her tearful lamentings and many questionings, bestowing upon her abundant joy and gladness.
I praise and magnify Thee for Thy loving appearance, and for the gentle words which Thou didst speak, to the disconsolate Mary Magdalene, when Thou didst question her and say: “Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?”
O good Jesus, O most sweet Master, Who knowest all things before they come to pass, why dost Thou ask of her that which Thou knowest full well? Thou knowest that what she is seeking and longing for is that which indeed beyond all else she loves, Thyself alone. It is because in the Tomb she found Thee not, because she has lost that which in all the world was most precious to her, that she weeps, and is sad. As often as she thinks of Thee, as often as she hears Thee spoken of, as often as she sees Thy Tomb, or calls to mind Thy Cross, or anything else that has had to do with Thee, that moment her heart sinks within her, and she weeps; for love knows no rest till it finds what it has been seeking, possesses what it loves, and holds fast what it has been longing for.
Be not angry then, O Lord, if even on so high a festival as this holy Easter Day, she sheds tears in Thy presence. It is her love for Thee; it is her great devotion to Thee, which has given her no sleep nor rest, which has driven her from her couch before the break of day that she might come and anoint Thee—it is these things which have made her as Thou seest. It is because she has not found Thee that she weeps, and that her grief on Thy account is so intense. With so great love does she burn, with such intense longing is she on fire, that had she but an Angel’s wings she would fly to Thee over mountains and hills and above the stars of heaven. Higher than the Cherubim and the Seraphim in Heaven would she mount in search of Thee, if only she might find Thee in Thy Kingdom, if only she might see Thee sitting on Thy Throne at the Right Hand of the Father. But to-day this happy lot may not be hers; nor indeed to all is it given to be caught up with Paul into the third Heaven, but only to those for whom it is prepared by Thy Father, and at the proper time, that namely which has been foreordained of God.
O loving Jesus, Comforter of those who mourn, have pity on Mary in her grief, come to the help of her who mourns, speak to her who loves Thee. Speak but one word, and her sorrow will have an end. Tell her but Thy name, let but Thy voice sound in her ears, and straightway her grief will be assuaged. Show her the Light of Thy Countenance, most beauteous Lord Jesus, and most sweetly will her soul rejoice in Thee. Call her by her name, and on the instant her tears will cease to flow.
Why, I ask, O Lord, why hidest Thou Thy Face from her who loves Thee, from her who seeks Thee so anxiously, from her who laments Thee so bitterly? When in very deed Thou art her beloved Lord, and her Master, her Lord in Thy authority over her, her Master in teaching her, why dost Thou pretend to be other than Thou art, why dost Thou feign to be the gardener? Say to her, then, I pray Thee: “I am Jesus Whom thou seekest; be still and weep no more; go in peace!”
Nay, good Jesus, what is Thy purpose in all this, why dost Thou not satisfy the longing of her soul? I know that Thou doest and orderest all things well. I know that Thou neither deceivest nor canst be deceived; for Thou art a just God, loving and true in all Thy ways. Surely it was in order that Thou mightest stir up yet more her longing after Thee, in order that Thou mightest make trial of the strength of her patience, and in order that by affliction and delay Thou mightest purify her soul, and mightest after long-protracted grief and many tears lead her to yet greater joy. Surely it was for all this that Thou didst hide from sorrowing Mary the brightness of Thy Countenance, and didst keep her from knowing Thee.
And in all this, surely, Thou didst intend the example of holy Mary’s patience and repentance to be to all Thy faithful servants in distress a source of great comfort. Mary was very dear to Thee, and she was adorned with many excellent gifts, but for all that she was in this life often in trouble and distress, often heavy-laden, often forsaken for a season. But this was in order that her merits might become greater, and that other Christians might profit by her example: never was she altogether forsaken, never forgotten.
How wisely, O Lord, and how tenderly, dost Thou deal with Thy loved ones, whether Thou sendest them trials, or givest them consolation—both of which Thou dost in order to lead them to Thyself, and to the everlasting rest of the heavenly Paradise. They must needs be tried by manifold temptations, and be purified like gold in the fire of tribulation: and if they would be made fit for the Kingdom of God, and worthy of the beatific vision, they must take everything that comes from Thy Hand as a priceless boon, and as a pledge of that everlasting life which Thou hast promised to every faithful soul that does not cease to weep and to pray, as did Mary Magdalene on this day before Thee.
How good art Thou, O God of Israel, to those who are of a right spirit, to those who seek Thee humbly and truly, with sorrow and with tears, as Mary sought Thee and found Thee. The more laboriously a thing has been sought after, the greater the difficulty in finding it, the more will it be cherished, the more carefully will it be guarded. The longer a man has gone without food the more will he relish it: a bitter draught makes any water taste sweet. We love daylight because night has gone before it; it is when we have been cold that we most love a fire. Joyous music gives us the greatest pleasure when sadness has gone before it: hard work gives us the most refreshing rest and sleep. The fiercer the war, the more welcome is peace. Stars are at their brightest when a misty sky becomes clear; birds sing their merriest as the sun rises. Even so, when Christ with His peace is at hand the soul which has been in trouble is renewed like the eagle. All this is well seen in the case of the beloved Mary Magdalene, who having wept much was abundantly comforted of the Lord. “O how great is Thy goodness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee.”
“Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself,” as saith Isaias, and besides Thee there is none other like Thee, knowing how to order all things so wisely for Thy loved ones. O good Jesus, eternal Wisdom of the Father, in what humility and in what love didst Thou live Thy life among men, teaching them what was wholesome and profitable for them; to despise earthly things, to love heavenly things, and to endure adversity!
How sweet was Mary’s discourse with Jesus, the Saviour of the world, the King of Angels, the Lord of lords, the Prince of the citizens of Heaven, the Ruler of the ages. Of a truth, Lord, had Mary known Thee fully, she would never have thought Thee to be the gardener; she would never have addressed Thee as a stranger, asking what Thou wert doing there, or of what Thou wert in search. “Sir,” she said, “if thou hast taken Him hence, tell me.” O Mary, how canst thou so speak to Him, the greatness of Whose power Thou knowest not. Whence dost thou take courage to say boldly: “I will take Him away.” How canst thou venture to think that of thyself thou canst lift such and so great a man? Tell me whither dost thou wish to take Him? Who gave thee leave to take away that which thou hadst not put there? Thou knowest not what thou sayest. Call thy companions and see whether, as thou sayest, ye could, all of you together, carry Him Whom ye seek. Ye will scarce be able, for ye are tired with your long walk, and weak from your two days’ fast, and with weeping for Christ, Whose sacred Body ye cannot find. O Mary, if the others have gone away, and thou art alone, what wilt thou do? Ask that Gardener to help thee in thy search for Him Who is so dear to thee, and in carrying Him Whom thou lovest, and art seeking with so many sighs and tears. No one can help thee better, or comfort thee more fully than that Gardener; no one, if He would only say so, knows better than He whither thy Lord has been taken, or where He is hidden. I suspect that it was pity for thee that brought Him to thee, in order that He might Himself tell thee where He Whom thou seekest is to be found, and Who it was that during the night removed Him from the Tomb.
How intense was the longing of this holy woman, who never stopped searching and weeping! Speak, Lord, I pray Thee, but one short word to her, so that Thy dove on hearing Thy Voice, may know Thee, and for joy at finding her Spouse may raise her voice in song and dry her tears. Thou art He Whom she is seeking: Thou art He Whom she longs for; Angels, creatures, and human comfort of what kind soever, satisfy her not. Speak, Lord, and how willingly will Thy handmaid, Thy faithful attendant, hear Thee. Say to her, as Thou wert often wont to say to Thy beloved hostess: “Mary!” That is her name; and so she would rather be called by Thee than by any one else, for Thou art her only Hope. More she does not want; Thou art her all in all.
O Mary, know Jesus, by Whom thou art known; love Him Who first loved thee. Make answer, loved one, to thy beloved Master, to the Gardener after thine own heart: “Rabboni, my Lord, I thank Thee for appearing to me. Now I possess what I sought, now I behold Him Whom I bewailed, and better far is my lot than I could ever have hoped it would be.”
How happy was the day, how blessed was the hour in which, O Mary, after Angels had been seen by thee and had spoken to thee, thou wast found worthy to behold the Lord of Angels, and to hear His sweet voice saying to thee: “Go to My brethren and say to them: I ascend to My Father, and to your Father, to My God and your God.”
Mary therefore did as Jesus had commanded her, and full of joy, went forthwith, without a moment’s delay, without a murmur, to tell the disciples the good news that after her prolonged sorrow and her many tears, she had seen her Lord.
How pleasing and acceptable were those tears coming from a heart that was pure, from a love that was fervent, sweeter surely far than the precious spices in their alabaster box got ready for the anointing.
And now, O most merciful Christ Jesus, Who didst vouchsafe to visit and to comfort holy Mary Magdalene when she was overwhelmed with sorrow and distress, I entreat Thee by the bowels of Thy mercy, that when my soul is weary and sad; or is heavy laden by reason of some bodily trouble, or of sorrow of heart, due either to my having given way to temptation, or to the unnoticed withdrawal from me of the sweetness of Thy grace, or to some fault which I have committed, better known to Thee than to myself; or when an evil conscience oppresses me with the thought of judgement to come, and fills me with alarm on account of my daily negligences and coldness of heart, in respect of many duties left undone, or made worthless by being mixed up with idle vanities—when any of these things come upon me, show to me also, I beseech Thee, mercy like to that which Thou showedst to holy Mary Magdalene. Withdraw not, I pray Thee, O Lord, Thy Hand from me when I am in trouble; and suffer me not to doubt of the pardon of my sins. Of Thy unspeakable bounty, take me, I pray Thee, to the Bosom of Thy mercies; for they endure from everlasting to everlasting upon all such as with their whole heart seek Thee, and desire to love Thee. Of Thy wonted lovingkindness extend to me once more the grace of Thy holy comfort, for which I long with my whole heart; and moved by the prayers and by the tears of holy Magdalene, show to me when my soul departs from my body, the saving joy of the light of Thy Countenance. Amen.