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Whispered Names

This reading from John’s gospel is for me, the most powerful story in the Bible. We don’t know a lot about Mary of Magdala except that she was something of an unusual person – perhaps with a somewhat checkered background. In John’s Gospel, Peter and the “disciple whom Jesus loved” went to the grave, and saw the empty tomb and “believed,” (whatever that may mean). But Mary stays behind. She has grieving to do, and she knows it. She has tears to shed, and she knows it. And it is through those tears that she sees the risen Jesus. So often it is through our tears that we experience the risen Christ. Frederick Buechner says somewhere, “It is not the absence of Jesus from the empty tomb that moves us. It is his presence in our empty hearts.” Easter isn’t just about something that happened a long time ago. It isn’t even just a wonderful promise about what will happen to you and those you love someday. Easter is now. Jesus is alive. Right now, in the places you work, worship, and play, God is doing what God has always done: bringing light out of darkness and life out of death, feeding the hungry in body and soul, making peace between enemies, and setting people free. And loving you. And loving me. The skies were filled with "Hallelujah's" on this Easter morning long before any of us sang them. "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" was heard even before sunrise. The birds were awake at the mere hint of daybreak and their music began to fill the air as if to praise God for what had been accomplished ... as if they wanted to be the first to shout, "Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed!" It's a good thing to wake up early on Easter morning, peer into an empty tomb and join with the shouts of similar acclamations around the world. "CHRIST IS RISEN!" But before we gather together, our praise and our own shouts of "Christ is risen" begin alone, at an empty tomb with a soul who seeks Jesus and with whispered names. Mary Magdalene first whispers the name to angels and we hear of faith and worship in the midst of great darkness. "They have taken my Lord away and I don't know where they have put him." She whispers the name and calls Jesus, "My Lord." Mary, who followed Jesus with the others. Mary, who saw him beaten, bloodied, mocked and crucified. Mary, who watched the One who claimed to be the Son of God, die. Mary, who remained while others left ... this woman still called him "My Lord." The name is whispered through weeping. Even in the darkest of moments for Mary, she whispers, "My Lord." His name had been whispered. Her faith in the One whom she had followed and worshipped is evident even in these moments of death, questions and confusion. In the darkness of this time for her, she still finds herself seeking him. And in her seeking, Jesus walks toward her. She feels his presence, yet doesn't recognize him. Mary stares again toward the empty tomb, seeking her Lord, weeping in what seems to be his absence. And then there is a whisper in the garden. "Mary." She turns once again and she knows. Jesus, the Christ, her risen Lord ... has called her by name! “My Lord." Words from a searching heart. The risen Christ, our Lord and Savior not only whispered "Mary," but he whispers "Bob" and "Peter" and "Mary Anne" and "Liz" and every single one of your names! He hears us when we too have cried out in our very private moments, "Where have they taken my Lord?" "Mary." “Dorothy.” “Laurie.” “Grayson.” “Kipton.” A name whispered by a very present Saviour. Because of an interchange of whispered names, you and I can proclaim with certainty, "Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed!" No words are needed other than "my Lord" to place our own name on the lips of our Saviour. He meets us as we seek his face. He whispers our name and we are his. And almost in the same breath, Jesus whispers two other names: "MY Father and YOUR Father. MY God and YOUR God." God will take countless steps toward each one of us and yet only asks that we take one step toward Him. That one step is the whisper of a name. "My Lord." And Christ's whisper to you, today and every day, is that the very One whom he calls "His Father" and "His God" is ours as well. We have been given the status of "beloved children" for all eternity. Out of the empty tomb, love flows. Out of the empty tomb, your name is whispered. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Credit for some of these thoughts: Rev. Anna Murdock on Midrash April 2010.