“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20,18
Mary Magdalene was the first to recognize that Jesus was risen and she rushed to tell the 
disciples who were fearfully isolated in the upper room. “I have seen the Lord!” she proclaimed. Initially incredulous, they too began to experience that Jesus was alive.
As a result of the French Revolution the people of the countryside of France were locked in their ignorance of their faith. Eugene de Mazenod had recognized the presence of the Risen Jesus in his life, and he dedicated his life to proclaiming “I have seen the Lord!” to those who were the most needy of coming to know the Risen Lord.
Inviting others to enter into his life of proclamation, he founded the Missionary Oblates, and insisted that their time be divided between “seeing the Lord” in prayer, reading and reflection and the proclamation, “I have seen the Lord!” whom they had encountered in this way:
The Missionaries will divide their group in such a way that while some strive in community to acquire the virtues and knowledge proper to a good missionary, others are travelling in the rural areas proclaiming the Word of God.
When their apostolic journeys are over, they will return to the community to rest from their labours by exercising a ministry that is less demanding, and to prepare themselves through meditation and study for a more fruitful ministry when next called upon to undertake new work.
Request to the Capitular Vicars of Aix, 25 January 1816, EO XIII n.2
In these days when so many of us are in isolation, let us use this time in a similar way so that each day we too can proclaim “I have seen the Lord! He is risen and alive for me!”
A small glimpse this morning of Eugene and his founding community working as one body – each of them individuals but also as one body. The Body of Christ. They did not set themselves up for life in furrowed trenches of duties never to be changed or shared.
“I have seen the Lord” Mary said to the others. She saw him in a new way – so new that at first she had not recognized him. We don’t know how long she was ‘there with him’ before she ran to share the Good News with others in her community, her family. Everything had changed, it all looked different and she became the bearer of the message. In the beginning the news was shared with an immediate few and as they became familiar with it were sent out.
Eugene and his community continuing on with that way, allowing themselves to return to the Garden so as to recognize anew our Risen Saviour – finding him in each other and then sharing that anew with others.
In an article by Fr. Christian Hennecke from Hildesheim Germany (from April 2020 Living City Magazine) quotes Bishop Klaus Hemmerle from Aachen, Germany who said: “Let me learn about you, your thoughts and actions, your senses and beliefs, so that I can re-learn the message that I have to pass on to you.” Building on this he quoted Isaiah “Remember not the tings of the past, the things of long ago consider not. See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” He ended his article stating ‘God wants to be experienced and seen today – and each day he creates something new. He asks, “Do not you perceive it?” Something new is growing through him, even if we do not notice it. But he want us to see it.’
Seeing, experiencing our Risen Saviour and sharing that with each other and all those we are sent to, that we meet along the way. Today in lockdown, with fears, struggles and pain raging all around us we are reminded of Mary Magdalene’s heroism as she ran through the streets to share her experience, her good news of seeing her Risen Lord. Just as did Eugene and his founding community.
Learning now has taken on a new image as has how we share and live what we are constantly learning and relearning. It may be through technology and a million small ways of connecting with each other that we will be able to proclaim “I have seen the Risen Lord”.