The Earth is Full of the Goodness of the Lord As we witness the touching scene of Mary Magdalene weeping at the tomb of Jesus, followed by her encounter with the risen Lord, we are surprised by the unusual words of Jesus to her: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Though sounding to our ears like a rebuke, the words awaken in Mary and in us the “more” that Jesus has in mind. His presence will no longer be limited by space and time, but, through his ascension and thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, will be accessible in all times and places to all believers who receive the gift of baptism. Peter’s preaching at Pentecost makes the invitation: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, As the tiny group of believers expands across nations and continents, the presence of the risen Jesus at work in the world likewise grows. Now, the earth with its original beauty, marred by sin, truly blossoms. In the hearts of believers and among them, the earth is full of a new goodness, the goodness of the risen Lord himself present through his Holy Spirit. If the earth now carries this fullness, this presence, we might ask: how aware am I of the risen Jesus at work in me? Do I tend to limit the presence of the risen Jesus to this or that place, to this or that time? May God’s word help us allow this presence to blossom fully in our hearts and in our world! |