Day 45: April 9 Easter Sunday

Readings:

And when He rose again in the morning on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She having gone forth reported it to those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that He was alive and was observed by her, believed not. And after these things He was manifested in another form, to two of them as they were walking, as they were going into the country. And these, going away, reported it to the rest; neither did they believe them. (Mark 16:9-13)

As men rise again after death, therefore the Lord willed to undergo death and to rise again the third day, but to the end that He might put off everything human that He had from the mother and might put on the Divine Human; for everything human that the Lord took from the mother He rejected from Himself by temptations, and finally by death; and by putting on a Human from the Divine Itself that was in Him He glorified Himself, that is, made His Human Divine; therefore in heaven His death and burial do not mean death and burial, but the purification of His Human, and glorification. (Apocalypse Explained 899:14)

Reflection:

Mary was chosen to bring the Lord into the world, and another Mary was the first to see Jesus when He had been glorified and put off everything that was merely human. Both women represent an innocent willingness to follow and serve the Lord. Love leads us to the Lord and innocence enables us to follow Him.

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