The Resurrection of Jesus and His Mother - Fr. Steve Mondiek

Something that I found to be interesting is that in reading of the Resurrection accounts in Sacred Scripture, our Blessed Mother seems to be absent. Why? If anyone should be there, shouldn’t it be the very one intimately connected to Christ’s body? He was conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, and she bore Him in her womb for nine months. She gave birth to Him in a manger, lived with Him for thirty years in Nazareth, journeyed with Him to Calvary, witnessed His brutal death and received His dead body for burial. Why is Mary not with the Apostles at the empty tomb?

There is a hint in Sacred Scripture that could possibly be key to this mystery. First, we remember the words of Saint Luke: “Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart.” Our Blessed Mother believed her son’s bodily resurrection, and she does so because Our Lord had spoken to her. The Lord also conveyed this message several times to his disciples, although they seemed to not understand. Jesus said, “ ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men who will put him to death; three days after his death he will rise.’ Though they failed to understand his words…”

Mary does not need to go off and search for her son’s dead body because she always acted on his words. She patiently waited in confident faith of her son’s resurrection in fulfillment of His promises to her.

Mary believed the words of the Angel at the Annunciation about her son’s eternal reign, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk 1:32,33) She believed the divine words of promise as Elizabeth attested, “Blessed is she who believed that was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45) Jesus Himself affirmed her for her invincible faith, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister and mother.” (Mk 12:50) She listened attentively as God spoke directly and indirectly to her through persons and events, “She treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19) That is how she cultivated that invincible faith that St. Paul tells us only comes from hearing God’s words, “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17)

Saint John, the beloved disciple saw many things before he believed in Jesus’ resurrection. It is only after ‘seeing’ an empty tomb and burial clothes that “he saw and believed.” The Blessed Mother does not need to see an empty tomb or burial clothes as evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. She does not need to see angels or hear them tell her that her crucified son is alive again. No person or life experience could separate God’s words from her heart because she lovingly acted on this word as she waited patiently for God to fulfill His promises to her and to all humanity, especially His promise to rise from the grave after dying on Calvary.

Our risen Savior Jesus Christ invites and challenges us to believe in His resurrection based on His words to us and not based on what we see or experience. He called us to this belief when He said to Thomas after His resurrection, “Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe.” (Jn 20:29) We glorify Him more by believing in Him, His resurrection, and presence with us based on His words alone.

In raising Jesus from the dead, God has fulfilled all His promises to us, “What God promised to the fathers, this He has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus from the dead.” (Acts 13:32-33) By the resurrection of Jesus, God has proven Himself and His words to us to be true and reliable beyond doubt. Like our Blessed Mother, we must listen to God’s words and believe in our hearts.

How sincerely do we listen to God’s words in scripture and in prayer? How firmly do we hold on to His promises to us? The Blessed Mother shows us the right way to respond in times like ours with her own Easter faith: Listen and act on God’s words with faith and then wait on Him to fulfill His promises. Happy Easter!