Called by Name: Today’s Mass Reflection

Today’s Mass readings were rich and deeply moving, offering a moment to pause, reflect, and realign our hearts.

The First Reading came from (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

What a powerful promise. In Christ, we are not defined by our past, our failures, or even our pain, we are made new. New!

The Psalms proclaimed:

“My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 63)

These words also echo the deep longing in every human heart, a thirst for something greater, meaningful, for love, and for God Himself.

The Gospel Reading (John 20:11–18) presents one of the most tender moments in all of Scripture. Mary Magdalene, faithful, devoted, and heartbroken, stands outside the empty tomb. She sees Jesus but mistakes Him for the gardener as she searches for her Lord. But everything changes when she hears one word:

“Mary.”

That one word, her name, opened her eyes and heart. She recognized Him, the Risen Lord, not by sight first, but through love. She exclaimed, “Rabbouni!”, a Hebrew word meaning Teacher.

To be called by name is intimate. It means being seen, known, and loved. Jesus didn’t say “woman” like in other texts, He said Mary. He does the same with us. He calls us by our names. She went on to become the first messenger of the Risen Lord to His disciples, announcing, “I have seen the Lord.”

It is also worth noting that Mary Magdalene was not the most pious woman of her time. Some claim she was a prostitute. The point here is that God can use the most unworthy and broken among us for His divine mission. And that includes you and me, my pals. So we should never let our past failures or mistakes, as St. Paul reminded us earlier, to deter us from seeking God like Mary Magdalene. God's ways are not our ways.

I was off today, finally, and after working back-to-back shifts, my body begged me this morning not to wake up as I always do for work, shower, and head out. But instead rest in bed until noon. I resisted the urge to indulge the flesh, because something deeper was calling. I heard "Ronald". I saw a connection between today’s readings and our daily struggles: often, the greatest battle we fight is with ourselves. The discipline to choose the spirit over the flesh, to choose time with God over comfort, is not always easy, but it is worth it. 

My friends, I pray that we all learn to recognize the Lord when He calls us by name, just as Mary Magdalene did. May we thirst for Him, live in the newness He offers us daily, and rise up each day to pursue Him, no matter the cost.

God bless you all,

 -Pal Ronnie-