14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
John 20:14-16
This painting was inspired by John 20:16. Mary Magdalene’s life had changed dramatically by Christ. She followed Him everywhere, even to His Crucifixion. I imagine her being unable to sleep from sorrow and wanting to be near Him. When she finally went with the other women to the tomb on Easter morning, imagine her heartbreak at seeing Jesus was not there. I think she must have just broken down in tears and was inconsolable. When a stranger, she mistook for the gardener, asked why she was crying, she lamented how her Lord was taken, and she did not know where they placed Him. When the stranger responded by saying her name, “Mary”, imagine her shock at recognizing that it was Jesus.
In this painting, Jesus is looking at Mary with love, joy, and peace. Mary. He is the Saviour of the world, but also Saviour to each one of us individually.
I think people often believe Jesus looks at everything we do in judgement. In actual fact, He looks at us with love, understanding, and kindness. He sees our difficulties, bad decisions, weakness and temptations and wants to help us get through them.
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