“Mary’s Inability To Recognize Jesus May Stem From Any Of The Reasons Mentioned—grief, Disbelief,

“Mary’s inability to recognize Jesus may stem from any of the reasons mentioned—grief, disbelief, or the more theological reason that the glorified body did not have the same appearance as did his earthly body. Or maybe she is just stunned by a dead man suddenly alive. Imagine one of your favorite relatives simply showing up at the grave. We can imagine standing there motionless, waiting for an answer. Then comes one the tenderest passages in the whole Gospel: “Jesus said to her, Mariam. She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’” The two words are preserved in Aramaic, transliterated into Greek. Jesus calls her by name—"Mariam.“ She responds with the Aramaic word for rabbi: “Rabbouni.” Aramaic words, you’ll remember, likely reach back to the lips of Jesus, and in this case, of Mary. Imagine her hearing that familiar voice speak her name. The experience would have been unforgettable, and she would have been sure to repeat that very word when she recounted the story, at first to the disciples, next to the evangelist, and to anyone who would listen, probably until the day she died. Her own friends and circle of admirers would have treasured and preserved this Aramaic call and response: “Mariam…Rabbouni.” Not until Jesus speaks her name does Mary know him. At first, Mary couldn’t recognize him, but she knew that distinctive voice with the Nazarean accent—the voice that called her into wholeness when it expelled whatever demons troubled her, the voice that welcomed her into his circle of friends, the voice that told her she was valued in the eyes of God, the voice that answered her questions, the voice that laughed over a meal, the voice that counseled her near the end of his earthly life, the voice that cried out in pain from the cross. Mary knew that voice, because it was a voice that had spoken to her in love. Then she recognizes who it is. Because sometimes seeing is not believing. Loving is.”

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Fr. James Martin, SJ

Easter Sunday meditation: Jesus and “Mariam.”

From “Jesus: A Pilgrimage”: