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Gospel Reflection for Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Sometimes I Wonder If God Has Studied Anti-Marketing
It’s true—when it comes to publicizing His message, God doesn’t seem concerned with conventional strategies. As we continue with the second day of the Easter Octave, the Gospels present us with accounts of Jesus’ appearances, those moments where He sought out His followers to renew their hope after the harrowing events culminating in His crucifixion. Yet, this grand event—the Resurrection—seems anything but a well-orchestrated announcement meant to reach the largest audience. On the contrary, it feels almost understated.
Today, the central figure is Mary Magdalene. Once again, a woman. Let’s remember that, in the cultural context of Jesus’ time, a woman’s testimony was not recognized as valid in court. In practice, this meant that women’s opinions were largely dismissed, both in legal settings and beyond. They were deemed inferior. Yet, Jesus deliberately chooses to appear first to a woman, and not just any woman, but Mary Magdalene—a figure often depicted by tradition as a former prostitute. How much weight could her words carry in that society?
To complicate matters, Jesus isn’t immediately recognizable. Mary mistakes Him for a gardener, despite knowing Him well and caring for Him deeply, as her tears reveal. Thankfully, there’s a pivotal moment of recognition. When Jesus says her name, “Mary,” her eyes are opened—not just her physical eyes, but, more importantly, the eyes of her heart. And Jesus doesn’t stop there. He entrusts her with the mission of delivering the news to His other disciples, proclaiming that He has risen, that He is alive, and that the bond with God, His Father and Abbá, is not only unbroken by the cross but has been profoundly strengthened.
A woman chosen to share such a vital message! Clearly, marketing isn’t God’s forte. Yet, perhaps that’s precisely the point. These intimate, personal encounters with Jesus have a transformative power that might have been lost in a more grandiose revelation. Maybe the question we should ask ourselves is this: are we willing to let Jesus call us by name, to hear His voice and let it reach our hearts?