“Should I stay or should I go?” Yes, those are the lyrics to a song by The Clash released in 1982, but it also might have been the question Mary was asking herself as the risen Jesus stood before her. Yet, Jesus, who so often did what seems counterintuitive to us, directed her not to stay, but instead to go.

Isn’t it interesting that the woman who was so desperate and downtrodden about the whereabouts of Jesus’ body was so willing to leave Him? This is the effect of encountering the risen Jesus. A true disciple wants to be with Jesus, but also wants to share Jesus with others – and that’s exactly what Mary did. Recognizing the risen Jesus led her to be on mission for the risen Jesus.

How often does your desire to cling to Jesus lead to the desire to tell others about Him? Are you willing to go anywhere and do anything He tells you to do?