Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled: Hope in the Resurrection

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

     On the first day of the week,
     Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
     while it was still dark, 
     and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
     So she ran and went to Simon Peter 
     and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, 
     “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, 
     and we don’t know where they put him.”
     So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
     They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter 
     and arrived at the tomb first; 
     he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
     When Simon Peter arrived after him, 
     he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 
     and the cloth that had covered his head, 
     not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
     Then the other disciple also went in, 
     the one who had arrived at the tomb first, 
     and he saw and believed.
     For they did not yet understand the Scripture 
     that he had to rise from the dead.


     It’s such a strange concept, isn’t it? Haunted and kept awake by the images of the crucifixion she had witnessed, Mary Magdalene had nothing to do but mourn. Early in the morning, before the sun had even come up, the same darkness of sadness and fear drove Mary to the tomb where only two days prior, her Lord lay cold and lifeless. This place, which gave her heart that darkness and hopelessness, was the same place she willingly went that morning. Something about it tugged at her heart. Something about the tomb drew Mary to the place where she expected to see a cold, sealed tomb. It doesn’t make sense that someone mourning the loss of the Lord would willingly go to the place which instilled such fear and hopelessness in her. It just doesn’t make sense...or does it?
     
     Maybe Mary isn’t as crazy as she seems at first. Maybe there was a method to the madness of traveling to the tomb under the darkness of night. She heard Jesus speaking of His resurrection, didn’t she? Wouldn’t she have known that He wouldn’t be there on the third day? Mary’s struggle between hope and despair is undoubtedly one each of us can understand. Our heads know one thing, but our hearts wrestle with that concept. Surely, she was overcome by confusion, grasping at any tiny shred of hope that could help her make sense of it all. 

     And yet, the lesson we can learn from Mary Magdalene is really quite simple: do not let your hearts be troubled. Still overcome by the gore and pain of the crucifixion, she knew the reality of a troubled heart. Yet it seems as though Mary also knew the reality of hope—that hope which brought her to the tomb in the first place. That same hope which made her run to the apostles to tell them of the tomb’s emptiness. While Peter and John returned home, that tiniest little shred of hope in Mary’s heart kept her there, weeping outside the tomb. That hope, though small and seemingly insignificant, is what allowed Mary Magdalene to be the first person to encounter the risen Christ. 
Hope is what anchors us to Christ when we don’t see the end result. Hope is what keeps us afloat when we feel like we’re drowning amidst the waves of confusion and despair. Hope is ultimately the pinnacle of who we are as Christians.

     I guess it really does go to show that hope always prevails. But that’s so much easier said than done! Ask yourself: How does Jesus wish to show me the glory of His resurrection in this particular time in my life? What are the ways that I can increase the presence of hope in my heart? Above all, how can I heed the Lord’s command to not let my heart be troubled?

 
About the Author: Fr. Mathew Dunn grew up in French Settlement and has always been active in ministry. After serving on the Diocesan Youth Board and other groups at St. Joseph Church, he began seriously discerning the priesthood, and on Holy Thursday evening in 2010, Fr. Mat discerned that the Lord was calling him to the priesthood and entered St. Joseph Seminary College in August 2012. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seminary in 2016 and then entered Notre Dame Seminary to continue his studies for entering the priesthood. Fr. Mat was ordained to the priesthood in August of 2020 and (as of now) is the youngest priest in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the state of Louisiana, the United States and possibly the world. He currently serves as the parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist in Prairieville. When he isn’t celebrating the sacraments or attending youth events, Fr. Mat’s passes the time by making vestments and traveling.
Coffee Order: Cream is an addition for sure. I’ll add sugar when I’m occasionally feeling adventurous. 
Favorite Saint (at the moment): St. Hrotsvitha de Gandersheim… with a name like that, who couldn’t love her? … Actually, my favorite saint is St. Maximilian Kolbe. I admire and aspire to be like him through his three hallmarks: deep love of and devotion to the Virgin Mary; zeal for souls as a holy priest; and fearless martyr of charity for the Lord and His Church. 
Top Three Songs You’re Listening To: I’m a big fan of the Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, which seems to know me better than I know myself. I always love it when the algorithm knows to recommend Disney songs and Christmas music (any time of year will do). 
Favorite Song from the Gather Hymnal (aka your favorite traditional church song): All the ones the Gather Hymnal doesn’t include… 

Learn More About Red Stick Catholics

The Well is a weekly reflection series from Red Stick Catholics that was created to allow young adults from the Diocese of Baton Rouge to reveal how God is speaking to them through prayer and Scripture. Each reflection contains the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, a reflection written by a young adult from the Diocese of Baton Rouge and prompts for how to pray with the Gospel and reflection during the week. If you are interested in writing a reflection, please email Nicole at njones@diobr.org .