As Mary Magdalene panicked about the disappearance of Jesus’ body from the tomb, Jesus appeared from behind.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?”
"Woman."
The first name that Jesus uses to reach out to Mary has no effect. Mary does not recognize him. She assumes that he is the gardener, and continues to plead for Jesus’ body, even though it is but feet away.
"Woman."
It certainly does not have the same effect as the second name he calls out to her, but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
I too have similarly been unmoved by the generalized names given to me. Throughout my life I have voted both “Republican” and “Democrat.” I have to admit that when either of those labels were thrown at me with comments like, “You are just like the rest of those unloving, conservative Republicans,” or “You liberal democrats can’t even think for yourselves,” I was slightly offended. OK, to be truthful, my blood pressure went into edge of stroke zone.
The terms "Republican" and "Democrat," and the assumed stances that each of those names contain, did not fully match with my beliefs at all. I despised being dismissed for assumed beliefs that I did not fully hold personally. I despised being categorized. I despised being labeled. I despised the insinuation that I might be considered dead to someone, not worthy of even conversation, because of a label. I am me! Just talk to me!
As any other pastor can attest, being labeled “pastor” often does not play out any better. I can be at a wedding, see a group of guys laughing with a beer in hand, stroll up to the excitement, and when they see that the “pastor” has arrived, it is as if I am a living, breathing life sucker that can suck all the life out of any conversation. The laughter stops and suddenly no one has anything to say.
I always end up talking to cousin Charles who similarly is alone because he is the one in the family who, whenever someone complains about a hangnail, jumps in and says, “Let’s pray about it!” Now those are great conversations!
Labels! I hate labels. They are tombs.
But, people like to label others. People like to bury others away in tombs of categorization. People like to file people away into slots of liberal and conservative. Black and White and Latino and Asian and so on. Woman. White heterosexual male.
As if burying us away behind tombs of labels will help anything in the world. As if what the world needs is more separation, more darkness, and more hostility between people.
That is why the second name that Jesus says is so essential.
When she did not respond to his first attempt to get her attention, remember, Mary did not even recognize Jesus, he says quite clearly, “Mary.”
Her Lord knows her.
She is not just a woman, she is Mary. She is Jesus’ Mary. And, with that, Mary cries back in tears of joy, “Rabbouni!” or “Teacher.”
In a world that locks people away in tombs of labels, truly being known is a precious gift of new life.
In a world where woman still struggle to even have their voices heard, Jesus calls them by name.
In a world where rolling up a sleeve to reveal some black skin often brings with it an assumption of criminality, Jesus calls them each one by name.
In a world where making political points outweighs treating people with love, Jesus stops the assumptions and calls by each by name.
In a world where we are more connected then ever through our digital devices, but rarely have the opportunity for someone to actually hear us and touch us, Jesus calls us by name.
You are more than your labels. You are the one that God molded and shaped with God’s own hands. You are the one who Jesus knows as a friend.
Jesus knows your every gift and fault. Jesus knows your every love and every hate. Jesus knows all your potential and all your hesitation to be who God created you to be. Jesus knows it all, and draws you from tombs of death and dead ends and labels, calling your name, bringing you to new life.
He is arisen, and so are you. He has not been kept down, and neither will you. You are you, and you are a beloved child of God!
Whenever, someone tries to bury you in a tomb of labels and assumptions, you can stand up proudly and say:
“No, I am Jira, a child that Jesus wanted to redeem!”
“No, I am Chelsea, a child who Jesus wanted to redeem!”
“No, I am Susan…”
Susan could best be described as the black sheep of the family. Her brothers were lawyers and doctors. They made her parents proud. Susan was...well...just Susan. She bounced around in life and never did find a grounding. As I said, she was the black sheep.
So, she was not surprised when her mother died that most everything was given to the lawyer and doctor of the family. She, seemingly, was never on the forefront of anyone's mind.
All she received from the lawyer for her inheritance was a cardboard box.
When she reached home, she opened the cardboard box and found the large family Bible inside. When she opened the front cover of the Bible, she read through the names of written there of the list of previous owners. At the bottom of the list, inscribed in her mother's handwriting, was her own name, "Susan." And, next to her name was the simple note which read, "To the one who would actually appreciate it."
Susan has not been forgotten. She was known.
And, Jesus does not forget you. Jesus calls you from your own tombs of death into new life using your true name, the name that only your friends use.
You are beloved.
Your name is precious to Jesus.
The Lord calls you by name, drawing you from darkness into the light.
For that we shout with joy, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”
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