Empty Is Not Empty

In John's Gospel, Chapter 20, the experience of Mary Magdalene mirrors the entrance into deep prayer. At first she sees that the tomb is empty. Our prayer of devotion dries up. We feel the absence of Jesus where before we had a "felt" presence that pleased us. Mary makes a decision that Jesus is gone, dead and gone. We decide in our feelings of emptiness that Jesus has left us, abandoned us. What did we do wrong?

Then Mary has an experience of a presence, but does not know who it is. This experience does not fit in with her previous images/feelings of Jesus. Our deeper experience of Jesus is new to us and at first we do not know what to make of it. We do not identify it with God.

Jesus then speaks Mary's name. She awakens, if you will, to something, someone totally unexpected. She wants to cling to this new experience. Do not cling. Do not try to control the Presence. Be with Surprise! God speaks in the silence of our seemingly empty hearts. God was never absent. We only felt an emptiness that is preparing us for a deeper union.

Jesus says to Mary, "I am going to my Father and your Father." As Jesus is united to Abba, so we too are united to Abba. Don't cling to anything/feeling/emotion in the deepening prayer. Let the Risen Jesus lead you.

He is Risen. Don't bury him again in your devotional books and exercises. They are just for starters.