The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. — Psalm 33:5

Mass Readings: Acts 2:36-41 / John 20:11-18

God Among Us

I was once at a high school basketball game with my dad. During the warm-ups I saw identical twins shooting layups with their teammates. They were unmistakable. “Look,” I said to my dad, “twins.” Bless his heart, Dad said, “Which ones?” Well . . . the ones that look exactly alike. Actually, I guess that failure of recognition runs in the family. Countless times I have run into people I have not seen in years. They recognize me; I can’t place them.

In today’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene doesn’t recognize the resurrected Jesus. In an almost funny passage, she thinks He’s the gardener. God is in our midst and we often fail to recognize that. We keep waiting for the thunder from the sky, but sometimes God is as commonplace as a gardener.

Prayer: Lord, help me see You in all things and in all people.