Change In Perspective

Mary’s change in perception of Jesus Christ is condensed in the transition from “Thinking he was the gardener” (15) to “Rabboni!” (16), expressing her personal relationship with Christ. This is the same event, and yet there are two different perspectives on it. From a human perspective, events are final and impossible to revert; they are in the past and they cannot be changed. However, when the disciples processed events and circumstances in the light of the resurrection, they found new meaning and understanding of them. Thus the disciple acquires wisdom for life. 

One dimension of a learning experience is to see the presence of the supernatural in common events. Mary stood paralyzed by events: she could not see angels (12); she could not recognize Jesus (14) whom she had seen so often. She needed a wake-up call to see beyond the immediate. All it took was for Jesus to pronounce her name, “Mary” (16). She perceived the reality as an impossible barrier, and she needed to be awakened to see beyond her reality. Crisis and circumstances may blind us, preventing us from seeing the obvious, the God that is there all the time and everywhere.

Then, at the end of today’s section (17,18) comes the moment of witness. Jesus sends Mary to witness to what she saw; her eyes were opened to see more than what she had first seen. A witness is someone who reports what has been seen as closely as possible. To be a witness is not to bring the self to the center of the story; it is to be faithful to the events and to bring attention to the work of God.

We become witnesses by representing the work of God in us. How can you attempt to be as truthful as possible to his work in you?