Empty! No More Tears

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’"—John 20:15a

Sorrow. There was no other word to describe the pain in Mary Magdalene’s heart as she made her way to Jesus’ tomb. Her mind was weary, playing over the events of the last three days. He had been so much to her, offered her a new life, given her hope and a purpose, but now He was gone. She remembered when she first met Him. It felt like so long ago. She didn’t remember much, but she remembered His face. Apparently, He had cast out seven demons from her. It was as if she had come out from a haze. Life was muddled, difficult then, but now…it was different, and it was all because of Him.

She was still numb—the scars of the last three days were still fresh in her mind. She wished that the image of His death would disappear, but it didn’t. She was tired, her mind ached, and her face revealed the pain and sorrow of grief spent over the loss of one dearly loved. Her face was puffy and her eyes wet as she made her way to the tomb. Light was just beginning to peek across the horizon and darkness was giving way to light. The light crunch of her feet and those of the ladies with her softly filled the morning air. It was a beautiful morning, but such beauty in the face of sorrow only gives greater weight to sorrow, as C.S. Lewis said: “You can’t see anything properly while your eyes are blurred with tears”—A Grief Observed, p. 45-46.

She didn’t think that she had any tears left to cry, but each time the picture of Him on the cross flashed across her mind, the tears flowed all over again. Sorrow and grief filled her heart, an unwelcome reminder that life is not as it should be. She was grateful not to be alone at this moment. They were bringing spices to the tomb, to anoint His body. It was a wholly unwelcome task that reminded them of the cruel reality that He was gone, but one that they undertook together.

One finally spoke up—it was necessary to roll the stone away to get access to the body, but who would do it? In their mournful state they had forgotten to bring some men along. Dusty earth gave way to plants, as they set foot in the Garden that housed His tomb. It was just then that they saw it—the stone had been rolled away! Confusion filled their minds—what happened? Did someone steal His body?

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, when two angels in white appeared, saying, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” She turned around and saw Jesus, although she didn’t know it was Him. He said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She thought He was the gardener and said, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell Me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

It was then that Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She knew that voice! It was the voice that cast out the seven demons! It was the voice that had been there for her when all others had deserted her! It was the voice of Jesus! She cried out in Aramaic (probably her native tongue), “Rabboni!” which means “Teacher.”

He said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God”—John 20:17. Mary then went and announced Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples, as well as everything He told her, saying, “I have seen the Lord”—John 20:18.

One of the hallmarks of the Christian faith is joy. Joy is not dependent upon circumstances, but it is birthed in hope that transcends this world and connects us to the next. And the joy of the Lord, as Nehemiah wrote, is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). But we know all too well that joy for most of us is based more on our moods and circumstances than not. We long to be joyous, but while we are still on earth, joy will be hard to hold onto until we are in the presence of the Lord at whose right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 116:11) and all of our tears are wiped away (Revelation 21:4). We may sorrow temporarily now, but His resurrection has guaranteed the day when “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."—Revelation 21:4. Amen.