John 20, 11-18

11 Now Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down into the tomb

12 and saw two angels in white robes sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

14 And when she had said this, she turned round, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? She thinks it is the gardener, and says to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me, where have you laid him? Then I will fetch him.

16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary! Then she turned round and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni,’ which means Master.

17 Jesus said to her, ‘Don't touch me! For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. 18Mary Magdalene goes and tells the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord, ’ and what he said to her.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen

How many times have you heard the Easter story? How many sermons have you heard? But no matter how many times we have read or heard this story of the resurrection; it remains a moving story.

I want to hear it again and again, like a small child who picks up their favourite book and wants to be read to again and again.

‘One more time!’

Once again - today Easter 2025. Every time I put myself in this situation, early in the morning at the tomb, something else remains in the foreground.

Today it is Jesus who addresses Mary: ‘Mary!’

When she hears her name, she recognises Jesus. ‘Rabbuni, Master!’

There is much speculation about Mary and Jesus. They are said to have had a particularly intense and loving relationship. They are like soul mates. They are good for each other. They understand each other.

Mary, the woman from Magdala. Magdala was the centre of the rebellious Jews who protested against the rule of Rome. All those who wanted an independent Israel gathered in Magdala.

Magdala was the centre of the Zealots, to whom Judas most probably also belonged. The people in Magdala were full of expectation. They were committed Jews. Jews who even wanted to fight for their liberation. Mary

from Magdala had followed Jesus. She had probably hoped that Jesus would play a political role. Together with Judas, she must have wanted Jesus to assume a leading position and overpower the Romans.

Mary was a strong woman. She endured something. She remained standing under the cross and now, early in the morning, she is one of the first to go to the tomb.

And there at the grave, her faith changes in a way that she had probably not expected.

As they move: Jesus and Mary into the centre of the events. This moment is not about politics and justice. It is not about distributing bread and making peace. It is not about healing sick people and arguing with Pharisees and scribes.

No, John tells us about an intimate encounter. He speaks of ‘recognising!’ Recognise is an old Hebrew word for ‘love’!

A new love is born here - between Jesus and Mary.

This is an encounter of the heart.Here Mary is not the woman from Magdala, the resistance fighter. Here she is a woman who is freed from her grief for her companion. Here she recognises him anew. Here a new love is born.

‘Mary!’, says Jesus.

Mary cries until then. The path to the tomb was incredibly difficult. In front of her heart was a stone that was at least as big as the tombstone in front of Jesus' tomb.

She weeps.

She can hardly see clearly for all the tears. She bends over the tomb and looks even deeper: she peers into the abyss of death. No one can fall deeper than Jesus fell. No abyss can be deeper - the insight into death and the

understanding of how much it can take from you.

Who is she now? Where does she belong now? What sense does her life still make?

She is overwhelmed by her powerlessness. She could only stand by and watch as Jesus was crucified. It was impossible to save him.

Mary weeps. She weeps over the cruelty done to Jesus. She weeps for this world in which people can become so inhuman. She weeps because she knows nothing more.

Yes, who else is she?

And then she is addressed by her name: ‘Mary!’

It seems to me that Isaiah 43:1 becomes very vivid here: ‘Do not be afraid. I have called you by name. You are mine!’

You, Mary, you are mine - you still belong to me, says Jesus in one word as he pronounces her name.

He hits her right in the heart with her name. Now she knows who she is again: she is Mary, who belongs to Jesus.

Nothing in the world can separate them anymore.

Jesus has risen. Mary too. The moment Jesus speaks to her, she realises that she belongs to him. You are mine.

When reading the history, I change the name. ‘Kornelia’, or Herbert, or Elke, Hildegard, Fritz, Rudi, Rolf, Ingrid... there are so many names.

Put your name in and feel that you belong to Jesus. ‘You are mine!’

Nothing can separate us from the love of God, because we are called by our Name and we are His.

I invite you to take time for this encounter during these Easter days. For such an intimate experience with the Risen One

Later, yes, Mary also continues to be one of those who puts her life at the service of Jesus and follows him in his search for justice, in his care for the sick and in his attempt to feed the hungry.

That comes later. Mary remains a woman who is interested in politics and society. She is one of those who get involved.

But here: this is different: and the two belong together.

The intense personal relationship with the Risen Lord and then the role, the task that someone takes on in the church of Christ.

Today is all about you. Mary. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

Mary goes from the tomb: healed and alive. Joyful and alert.

My Lord has risen. He has truly risen.

May the peace of God, which is higher than our understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.

Amen