John 20:11-18

Be Still: As I pause in this moment of reflection, Lord, draw near to me. Fill me with Your Spirit, renew my mind, and speak to the depths of my heart. Amen

Read: John 20:11-18

Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' (v16)

Encounter: I married my wife Hayley nearly 37 years ago, and we’ve known each other much longer. Long before Gary Chapman wrote his book The Five Love Languages, we were figuring out how to live and work together. We navigated through explosive conversations, the silent treatment, and the challenge of finding the right words to avoid making things worse. Today, even though we’re still learning, we have a much better understanding. I now know – most of the time – what Hayley is feeling and communicating just by the way she says a word. I understand it even more clearly when she says, 'Rob.' At that moment, there’s no need for any other words; everything is conveyed through that single utterance.

In today’s passage, we see Mary in distress, standing outside the tomb. She didn’t react to the angels as others had in the Bible, where people often fell at their feet or were struck with awe. Mary stood, heartbroken. Then, Jesus – the one who had loved her, corrected, shaped, fixed, and restored her – the voice she never expected to hear again, says, 'Mary.'

Apply: Calling Mary by her name redefined everything for her. In that single word, Jesus communicated love, recognition, and resurrection. It wasn’t just the sound of her name; it was the depth of their relationship, the history of their encounters, and the future promise of his victory over death.

Take time to listen for his voice in your life. It might come through a passage of Scripture, a friend’s encouragement, or a quiet whisper in prayer. In those moments, everything is conveyed – a depth of feeling, connection, understanding, and hope. Remember that he is always with us, even in our darkest times, continuously at work, transforming our lives.

Devote: Lord let me be attentive to your call, bring revelation and peace. Come and redefined my understanding of who you are.