Don't Cling to the Past

 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended. to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. "  John 20: 17  

Jesus said this to Mary Magdalene at His Resurrection.  Compare that statement to this one, said some days later:

 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.”  John 20: 27

Why would Jesus tell Mary, "No" and Thomas, "Yes"?  This always bothered me until last Sunday's homliy.  The homilist told us about going home to visit his mother, whom he hasn't seen in almost two years, due to COVID-19 restrictions.  He was upset at how much his mother had aged.  It made him realize that from now on their roles would be reversed.  His mother will be needing him for support and to meet her needs, where before he, her son could rely on his mother to support him and meet his needs.  He said he has a hard time letting go of the way it was.  But he has to.  He can't cling to the past.

And that's the difference between Mary Magdalene and Thomas.  Mary when she saw the Resurrected Christ, she thought He was Jesus.  But He wasn't.  She even calls Him, "Raboni."  No, He is not her teacher, her minister, her spiritual guide, any longer.  Mary was clinging to the way He was.  This was the Resurrected Jesus.  Thomas knew this.  Mary didn't see that, at first.  Thomas had heard the stories, even though he had his doubts.  When Thomas saw the Resurrected Jesus standing before him, with his five wounds, he understood that this Jesus is God, his Lord and Savior.