The Easter Sermon at St. John's Episcopal Church

“Luis Leon of St. John’s Episcopal Church, across the street from the White House, began his sermon by quoting from John 20:1-8, noting that when Jesus rose from the dead, He told Mary Magadalene not to hold onto Him. He then made the comparison to the religious right, stating that it is wrongfully holding onto old ways of thinking regarding homosexuality, women’s equality and racial issues.

“It drives me crazy when the captains of the religious right are always calling us back . . . for blacks to be back in the back of the bus . . . for women to be back in the kitchen . . . for immigrants to be back on their side of the border,” Leon declared to those gathered.” Washington Post

So now Jesus rose from the dead for homosexuality, women's issues and racial issues. And to rebuke “religious” right. This is a new one on me. And not to mention He rose from the dead to prevent Luis Leon from going crazy. Not only that, Leon was also obliged to re-write Mary Magadalene's role in the whole story. Talk about “loose” interpretation ---- this interpretation is ”loooooooooooose”.

I can almost hear Mary saying “where did you get that?”

So, where did Luis Leon get this story? John 20:17 is a verse in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. It contains Jesus' response to Mary Magdalene right after he confronts her just outside his tomb after his resurrection. According to the longer ending of Mark's Gospel (Mark 16:9) Mary Magdalene is the first person to whom Jesus shows himself alive after his resurrection.

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

Jesus saith to her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended

to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say to them,

I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended

to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am

ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

An important issue is why Jesus prevents Mary from touching or holding him. In Latin this phrase is translated as noli me tangere . Wikipedia

Theologists are still debating on what he meant exactly. Perhaps, He doesn't want her to hold onto the flesh, or sins of the flesh. Perhaps He is alluding to something higher, something much more everlasting than sins, gratification of the flesh and the physical or impermanent world. Perhaps you can give me your thoughts on this matter.

I am not a theologist, in fact I left the Episcopalian church some years ago for reasons that I will keep to myself. My first confirmation was performed in the Episcopalian church and I remember something quite different than this angry, divisive, inaccurate and ugly message. It was certainly not an uplifting message of hope and renewal – and confirmed my correct decision, if this is the new representation of the denomination.

So, as in Matthew 7:15

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

What do you think?