The gospel today recounts the details of the early morning of Easter. We find Mary of Magdala frantic, on the verge of a breakdown, an utter state of helplessness and desperation. She cannot find the body of the Lord. She went to tell Peter and John. And when they got there, all they saw were the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around our Lord’s head, was rolled up in its place. The Lord was nowhere to be found.
We all have experiences of varying degrees of loss. Often times, it takes a while for us to get over them and move on. In the case of Mary of Magdala, we know that eventually she knew that the Lord had risen. All is well.
What about us? How do we move on from a state of loss? How do we survive? Margaret Silf, the author of the book, The Other Side of Chaos, suggests that it is about growth and transformation of ourselves more than survival. When things in life affect us deeply, it somehow changes us. And in so doing, there will emerge a new person. It is you and yet not entirely you. Something has changed; you discover a side of yourself that you never knew you had. And guess what, it isn’t bad at all.
As we recall this Easter story, may our Lord inspire our experiences of loss so that our growth and transformation may bring hope, life and truth to those whose lives we touch.