Holy Week, Day 7: New Eyes, New Heart
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’” —John 20:16
It began in the dark.
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb before sunrise, still reeling from grief. She came expecting to anoint a dead body. She came to mourn—not to hope.
Instead, she found the stone rolled away. The tomb empty.
And then—what must have felt like one more devastation—she saw a man she didn’t recognize.
Until He said her name.
“Mary.”
That was all it took.
In that moment, despair shattered.
The darkness cracked open.
Recognition came—not through explanation, but through relationship.
Because that’s how resurrection works.
The Face of the Gardener: Seeing Jesus Anew
Tissot painted multiple images of Mary Magdalene’s encounter at the tomb to match the multiple versions found in the different gospels. In every gospel, it is the women who are the first to discover that the stone has been rolled away and that Jesus is not inside the tomb.
In John’s gospel account, upon discovering the empty tomb, Mary runs to tell the disciples that Jesus is not there. Peter and John run to see for themselves, then, perplexed, “return to their homes.”
(James Tissot, “Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene”, Brooklyn Museum)
Mary, however, continues waiting at the tomb. Weeping, she is distraught until she hears something deeply personal and familiar.
Jesus speaks her name.
So much of our spiritual formation depends on this:
Not just hearing about Jesus.
Not even just looking for Him.
But being named by Him.
We spend so much of life searching. Wondering.
Trying to make sense of death and disappointment.
And then—in some quiet moment—we hear it.
A whisper. A calling. A recognition.
He says our name. Your name. My name.
And suddenly, everything changes.
Identity and the Power of Being Seen
Neuroscience confirms what Mary’s story reveals: our sense of self is shaped in relationship. Identity doesn’t come from self-analysis—it comes from feeling a sense of belonging and being known and named by love.
When someone sees you—really sees you—it activates the brain’s right hemisphere, where emotions, memory, and attachment reside. This is where your identity is formed.
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus by sight.
She recognized His voice.
His presence.
Hs love, calling her by name.
And in being seen, she saw.
The Invitation: Resurrection Identity
The resurrection of Jesus didn’t just prove something.
It transformed someone.
Mary Magdalene was the first evangelist—the first to carry the message, “I have seen the Lord.”
And it all began with her name.
Who else “names” you? How do those names transform you… and your relationship to the one who names you?
Are the names you are given holy, uplifting, encouraging, life-giving, and beautiful?
Or the opposite of that?
If you need to hear your name said with love and joy, look to Jesus.
Because Jesus is still calling names today.
Not to scold or correct, but to awaken.
To invite.
To resurrect.
The empty tomb isn’t just about life after death.
It’s about a new identity in Christ—here, now, rising up from the soil of our sorrow.
Reflect: What Is Jesus Calling You Into Today?
Where have I mistaken Jesus for “someone else”—a gardener, a teacher, a distant memory—because I wasn’t ready to see?
What in me is being brought back to life?
How is Jesus reshaping my identity—not in shame, but in love?
What is He calling me to see, carry, or become?
“See, I am making all things new.” —Revelation 21:5
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” —Isaiah 43:1
“My sheep listen to My voice… I call them by name.” —John 10:3
“You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.” —Psalm 30:11
“If anyone is in Christ… the old has gone, the new is here!” —2 Corinthians 5:17
Resurrection Practice: “Called by Name”
This is a simple but powerful practice to help internalize what Mary experienced at the tomb—being seen, named, and called into new life.
Time needed: 15–30 minutes
Supplies (optional): journal, quiet space, small stone or seed, soft instrumental music
Step 1: Create Space
Find a quiet spot where you can sit without distraction.
Take a few deep breaths.
Let your body settle. Let your mind slow.
Step 2: Imagine the Garden
Close your eyes and picture yourself standing outside the tomb with Mary.
You are weeping, waiting, unsure.
You see someone—Jesus—but you don’t recognize Him yet.
He pauses. He looks at you.
And then… He says your name.
What does it sound like when He says it?
What do you feel? What awakens in you?
Sit with that for a while.
Step 3: Respond
In your journal, write down Jesus’ words to you. Maybe just your name.
Then answer Him:
What are you rising from?
What are you rising into?
What new name, role, or identity is He offering you today?
(You might write: “Beloved. Free. Witness. Rooted. Whole.”)
Step 4: Symbol of New Life
Hold a small stone, seed, or flower in your hand.
Let it represent what God is planting in you today.
You might even plant something in the ground as a sign of resurrection still unfolding.
Short breath prayer to close:
Inhale: “You call me by name…”
Exhale: “…and I rise with You.”
A Closing Prayer
Jesus,
You found me in the garden.
You spoke my name.
You opened my eyes.
I thought You were gone—
But You were closer than I knew.
Raise what has died in me.
Call me into joy again.
Clothe me with newness.
Let me hear Your voice,
And become who You say I am.
I have seen the Lord.
And I will not be the same.
Amen.
To view the other articles in this series focusing on the paintings of Tissot, please click below:
Day 1: The Cup and the Crushing
Day 2: The Disciples Who Fled—Running from the Pain
Day 3: Blind Guides and the Undefended Heart of Christ
Beautiful awakening to the glory that is now bestowed on us as a result of the resurrection. Thank you for this piece!