Clinging Onto Christ

There is almost no greater feeling for a new mother than when her young child clings to her. Their embrace is so full of love and warmth, and yet the mother knows, deep down in her heart, that this is only a fleeting moment. Her child must grow up and face the world, and he cannot rely on mommy forever. Yet the child might protest, he desires to cling onto mom because he is afraid of losing her. In some ways, a mother succeeds if her son leaves her, and a mother fails if her son continues to cling onto her, unwilling to face the world.

After the resurrection of Christ, Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb, and there before her is the resurrected Christ.

In the moment of her greatest embrace, she fears one thing, that she might be separated from her Lord again. But it is in this tender moment that the Lord calls her to face her deepest fear.

Jesus says to her "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father! But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to the Father, your Father, to my God and your God.'" John 20:17

Here Jesus commands her to not cling to the past traumas or the present joys, but to cling to the Eternal. She is a child of God, challenged by the Lord to leave his side to face the world and proclaim his resurrection to the other disciples.

She lets go of Christ temporarily, and in doing so she succeeds in embracing Christ eternally.

I challenge you all with this.

Do you cling to Christ only in times of joy or pain?

Be like Mary Magdalene, who lets go of her fear and learns to engage the world that Jesus loves so dearly.

Christ calls us to proclaim his name and the works that he had already accomplished.

Reflect on this, and remember to share Christ always, not just in great times of trouble or joy.