Mary Magdalene and the Gardener

The story of Mary Magdalene mistaking Jesus for the gardener, after his resurrection, has always puzzled me. Wouldn’t she have recognized him? Or was she so grief-stricken that she couldn’t see properly? (And I’m sure that he wouldn’t have been dressed in his usual robes, or that would have been a giveaway to her.)

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

John 20:16 NIV

Honestly, you cannot make these things up, and I will show you why by recounting a story of my own.

When I returned to Canada after 22 years (literally, returning from the dead), I went to see one of my best friends from the 70’s. I looked for her at her place of employment, and was informed that she was on her lunch break, and that she had gone downtown. I exited the building and literally had a choice of four directions to go. After mentally eliminating three of them, I set out to go down the last street, in hopes of seeing her in the road.

Sure enough, as I passed a set of traffic lights, I could see her coming up the street. When she was passing me by, I said her name, Mary. She then realized it was me and stopped to talk for a bit.

So, you see, it can happen.

Bless.