Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
April 19, 2022
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.
In the Bible, names are chosen for unique, and sometimes humorous, reasons—Isaac literally means “he will laugh.” God also bestowed new names on key figures in salvation history to illustrate pivotal moments in their lives, including Abraham and Peter.
But what would be the importance of God’s attention to detail regarding our own names? We find the answer in today’s gospel.
Mary Magdalene, a faithful disciple of Christ who stood with Mary and John at Calvary, is utterly distraught. The teacher to whom she was firmly devoted had died. Even when the resurrected Jesus appears to her, Mary’s sorrow does not dissipate.
It is only when Jesus calls Mary by name that she joyfully recognizes him. Similarly, God gives each of us a name and calls us by name to follow our Heavenly Father. Bearing this in mind, we ought to cherish our names and those of others.
I remember when my family chose a name for my youngest brother. It was an exciting process that we took very seriously. After all, this would be the name we’d hear at his Baptism, birthdays, and graduation. When we finally settled on Nicholas, I could picture God smiling at a newly named son.
Consider also the steadfastness of Mary Magdalene in her vigil at the tomb. As St. Josemaría Escrivá wrote, “Mary Magdalene…needs the Master. She has gone there to be consoled a little by being near Him, to keep Him company, because without our Lord nothing is worthwhile.”
We must keep God close to our hearts, not only at Mass or when our disposition supports it, but in every aspect of life, from the workplace to the sports field. Only then can we, like Mary Magdalene, faithfully heed the words of Our Lord: “I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Is 43:1)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, by appearing to her as risen and uttering her name, you transformed Mary Magdalene’s grief and sent her to proclaim the news that you were alive. Help us to hear you tenderly speak our names, so that we may know your living presence, and also know ourselves made new by the resurrection. You live and reign with the Father and Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
James Duckett is patron saint of booksellers and publishers because he was martyred in 1601 for spreading Catholic books throughout England while the monarchy was suppressing the faith.
He was a devout Protestant apprenticed to a book printer in London, where he found a book about the foundations of the Catholic tradition. The book convinced him to become Catholic and he was thrown into prison, but released when his book printing master paid his bond. When he persisted in his Catholic faith, he kept landing in jail. Finally, his master finally broke ties with him. In one of his stays in prison, he was formally instructed in the Catholic faith by an old priest who was also incarcerated.
When James was released from prison, he married a Catholic widow and they had a son together, who went on to lead an important monastery. As a bookseller, he continued to offer books on the Catholic faith to anyone he could find, and continued to be arrested. In fact, of the 12 years he was married, he spent nine in prison.
Peter Bullocks, a former fellow employee of James’, had landed on death row. Hoping to save his own life, Peter betrayed James by accusing him of publishing a treasonous text. James denied the charge, but acknowledged that he had many other Catholic books. When a jury condemned James to death, he said, “I take it for a great favor from Almighty God that I am placed among the thieves, as he himself, my Lord and master, was.”
James bore no ill-will towards Peter, who was not granted a stay of execution for his betrayal. In fact, the two were to be executed together—they were carried in the same cart to the place of their hanging. James assured Peter of his forgiveness and kissed him as they both stood on the platform awaiting their death.
Blessed James Duckett, you were the convert who was martyred for your faith, and patron saint of publishers—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Blessed James Duckett is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International. Last accessed February 21, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
