By BO BROWN / Guest Columnist

“Woman,” he said, “Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni,” which means teacher.

What a wonderful and intriguing story we see that exists within the Resurrection verses found in the Gospel of John. Here we have Mary Magdalene, one who loved Jesus greatly and was a faithful follower, for the first time since being delivered out of her condition and forgiven, left alone.

There were tears from her eyes and compassionate pleas to all who would listen to give her the body of Jesus, her Lord. He was dead, and if that wasn’t enough now even His body no longer lay in the tomb. It was feeling of hopelessness, loneliness and fear all overwhelming Mary. She turns, tears in her eyes, unable to think or to focus, to hear a man’s voice ask, “Why are you crying?”

Not paying attention to the voice, but rather the situation, she begs between the tears, “Tell me where you have put him.” It is here we find the word that would overwhelm Mary. It was a word not found in some huge theological lesson, but rather a word that brought hope to her despair and took away all loneliness and fear. The word was simply her name as Jesus spoke, “Mary”.

Having been looking down or away she turns towards him and cries out in joy “teacher!” She grabs Him; clinging to the one she thought she lost, she does not realize the fullness of the fact that for eternity she would now have her deliverer, her teacher, her Lord.

And so today we celebrate a risen Savior that is not just alive, but knows us by name as well. Whether through our tears or through our laughter, our joy or our pains, He still calls out, bringing life where death once reigned and a promise for all who would truly receive him. He brings eternal life and His promised presence. As the great hymn of faith says:

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and He talks with me

Along life’s narrow way.

He lives, He live, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives:

He lives within my heart.

Christ is risen; He is risen indeed.

Brother Bo Brown is pastor at Community Baptist Church in Maylene.