John 20:17 reads: “Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, “I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”’” I have often read that and wondered why Jesus would say such a strange, almost calloused thing to an obviously emotional, probably sobbing woman. It just doesn’t seem kosher. Where’s the, “It’s okay,” and the pat on the back? I mean the second part is all right with its uplifting command and discipline and the echo of Gospel fire. But what about that “Do not hold to Me” part? I thought we were supposed to hold onto Jesus.
Except that, of course, this isn’t a mystical, theoretical holding we’re talking about here. I imagine Mary, once she realizes who she’s talking to, more or less throwing herself at Him and bursting into tears the way you might if you had someone walk through the door that you thought had just died. And, if Mary was like a lot of us, she probably would have been alright with staying that way, crying and clinging to Jesus. Which doesn’t sound that awful, unless you consider that to do this, she would not be able to do anything else. Or tell anyone else. Or, really, affect the world in any way at all.
Obviously, she had to let go first. Not that Jesus would leave her, for didn’t He also say, “It is for your good that I am going away (John 16:7)”? Because, since He left, He sent us the Holy Spirit, that mysterious flame within the hearts of all of God’s children, now advising, now correcting, now soothing with a peace deeper than the ocean. But ever and always with us - clinging to us, if you will.
So, the lesson for us? Precisely the same as it was for Mary. We have to let go of the physical things we hold onto. To step out of the place where we are safe and comforted and held. To stand up from our prayers, to walk out of the church, to step into the lives of others. To “go and tell,” as the old song says. Not that we leave Jesus or that He leaves us. But that we release our death grip, even prying our own fingers off the safety net if we have to - whatever it takes to release our grasp on listening to the lessons only and start sharing the lessons. Start sharing the truth. Start sharing Him.
