4/7/2026 (Tuesday) Today’s Gospel reading: John 20:11-18
11 But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb,
12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been.
13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”
14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.
4/7/2026 (Tuesday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: John 20:11-18
In this Gospel narrative, we encounter a deeply personal moment of grief, confusion, and transformation.Mary Magdalene stands outside a tomb, overwhelmed with sorrow, believing that all hope has been lost. Yet in the midst of her tears, she is asked a series of questions and given a calling that changes everything. These words still speak powerfully into our lives today.
“Why are you weeping?”
This question is not meant to dismiss pain, but to gently invite reflection. Many of us carry hidden grief due to failures, broken relationships, unanswered prayers, or lost dreams. We weep because something we valued deeply seems gone. Yet sometimes, we are crying not because hope is truly gone, but because we cannot yet see what God is doing. Like Mary, we may be standing close to a miracle without recognizing it. This question reminds us to pause and ask: Is my sorrow blinding me to a greater purpose unfolding?
“Whom are you looking for?”
This question goes deeper. It challenges not only our situation but our focus. Often, we search for solutions, comfort, or answers in the wrong places such as success, approval, distractions, or even people. But the real question is whether we are seeking the right source. Mary was looking for someone she thought was gone, not realizing He was already present. In our lives, we may be searching for peace, meaning, or direction, not realizing that what we truly need is already near. When we seek with an open heart, we begin to recognize that we are not alone.
“Stop holding on to me.”
At first, this may sound surprising. After all the pain and loss, why let go? Yet this instruction is not about rejection; it is about growth. Sometimes we hold on to old understandings, past experiences, or even comfortable versions of faith that no longer allow us to grow. God often calls us forward into a deeper relationship, one that requires trust beyond what we can see or control. Letting go is not losing; it is making space for something greater. In life, this can mean releasing past hurts, outdated mindsets, or even the need to control outcomes, so we can embrace a new season.
“Go and tell my brothers…”
This is where sorrow turns into purpose. Mary is not told to stay in her moment of comfort; she is sent. Her experience becomes a message. In the same way, our encounters with grace, healing, and truth are not meant to be kept to ourselves. We are called to share them with our families, friends, and communities. In today’s world, people are searching for hope. Your story, your faith, and your transformation can become a light to others. You don’t need perfect words; you just need a willing heart.
This passage reminds us that moments of deepest sorrow can become turning points of greatest purpose. The questions we face in life are not meant to condemn us but to guide us. They lead us from grief to awareness, from confusion to clarity, and from isolation to mission.
So when you find yourself weeping, pause and reflect. When you are searching, examine what you truly seek. When you are asked to let go, trust that something greater awaits. And when you experience hope, don’t keep it to yourself. Go and share it.
Because sometimes, the very place where we thought everything ended is actually where our new beginning begins.
Go here to read further Gospel Reflection.
