Grief is Transformed into Joy

A very sweet and simple little picture, painted by an unknown illustrator for a children’s book of Bible stories. Mary Magdalen weeps at the tomb of her Master. She sees the angels, and speaks with them, but she does not seem to realise who they are. She is disorientated and inconsolable.

She strikes me as a rather fragile person. But whatever her temperament, whatever her state of health, everything that she is, everything, is filled with devoted love for Jesus. She has been His faithful disciple through thick and thin, to death and beyond.

And then she sees, as she supposes, the gardener, who says to her

“Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and remove Him.” Jesus said, ”Mary!” She knew Him then and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbuni!” – which means Master.
(John 20: 15-16)

And grief is transformed into a joy greater than any of us can imagine.

May we all have that joy at this time, which in earthly terms is very fraught and difficult, but in heavenly terms is the time of the victory of God’s love for us. He has loved us to death and beyond, and has shown us that His love and power are without limit.