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"Mary stood weeping beside the tomb." —John 20:11
Mary Magdalene had her eyes fixed on Jesus in an amazing way. This may have been the reason she was the first person referred to in the Bible as having seen the risen Christ. So intent was she on Jesus that she came to His tomb before sunrise and remained there after Peter and John had left. She hardly noticed two angels in dazzling robes sitting in His tomb (Jn 20:12). She was preoccupied with, immersed in, baptized in Jesus (Acts 2:38).
To meet the risen Christ, we must also fix our eyes on Him. This is only the third day of the fifty-day Easter season, but as so many things vie for our attention, Jesus' resurrection may be the farthest thing from our minds. We must refuse to focus on our pressures, problems, and pleasures. We must not allow these things to push Jesus into the background. Rather, we should cast our cares on Him (1 Pt 5:7) and make the risen Lord the Center of our attention.
Prayer: Jesus, this Easter week, I refuse to focus on the most pressing problems or most attractive pleasures. I fix my eyes on You (Heb 12:2).
Promise: Peter "kept urging, 'Save yourselves from this generation which has gone astray.' Those who accepted his message were baptized; some three thousand were added that day." —Acts 2:40-41
Praise: Praise Jesus, "the Resurrection and the Life!" (Jn 11:25)
Reference: (To fix your eyes on Jesus, read the Bible daily. For encouragement, order any or all of these tapes: Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ, AV 82-1, V-82. How to Pray the Bible on audio AV 82-3 or on video V-82. How to Read the Bible on audio AV 46-3 or on video V-46. Principles of Bible Interpretation, audio AV 79-1, video V-79.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Giles H. Pater, October 17, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 21, 2002