Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”
When people tell what they saw at the movies or an accident scene, each person remembers something different. That is how we are. We each have an eye for different details. In Matthew’s gospel account we read, “Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.”* John adds, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”
The risen Jesus is in a very unusual situation. He appears in his heavenly body to people who knew his earthly form. To Mary, it seems that Jesus is back, and he is. Yet he is no longer of this world. He has conquered death and his body is no longer subject to sin’s temptations. He cannot stay in our world physically because he is no longer physical.
Mary, in her relief at seeing Jesus alive, falls at his feet and holds on to them worshipping Jesus. Jesus allows himself to be touched. This is important: Jesus allows himself to be touched. He has the power to do that. Yet he tells her not to. His reason? He has not yet ascended to the Father.
Ironically, once he has ascended, all people have the opportunity to cling to Jesus.
Application: Jesus appears to Mary first, to let her know that he is alive. That he does this speaks volumes about how much he cares for her and her devotion to him. Yet, Jesus is between crucifixion and resurrection, between two worlds; the physical and the spiritual. He is leaving to go to his Father. He goes ahead of us to the place we all want to be. He goes to prepare a place for us. Like a man standing on a train station platform, he says, ”Do not hold on to me.” Mary has to let him go a second time, but this time he goes with a promise that we will see him soon.
Food for Thought: How does Mary feel about obeying Jesus in this situation?
*Matthew 28: 9
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I suppose she may not understand that as our sacrifice for sins He must present Himself to the Father and everything that entails. But while she may not understand she trusts and obeys. That is a good example for all of us.