In the book of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola places as one of the first meditations on the Resurrection the visit of our Lord to his most Holy Mother.
While this has a scriptural basis, it is not explicitly said in Scripture that this happened. St. Ignatius tells us that Scripture presupposes that we have reason. It makes logical sense that Jesus appeared to Mary. But let us mention a couple of reasons for this.
First, Jesus is a good son and perfectly fulfills all commandments. That includes the fourth commandment of honoring mother and father. Therefore, it was expedient for Jesus to visit his Mother.
Secondly, Mary was the closest person to Jesus during the Passion. She suffered like no one else. Suffering is proportionate to love, and Mary loved Jesus the most. Therefore, just as Mary shared in the Passion as no one else, it was fitting she should share in the Resurrection in the same way.
Thirdly, we see in the Gospel that the office of the Risen Lord is to console and encourage the disciples. Mary was in great need of consolation after how she accompanied Jesus.
For these reasons and others, when Jesus returned from Abraham’s bosom, our Lord ran to the upper room where the Blessed Virgin awaited the Resurrection.
With great respect and devotion, let us contemplate this scene. As we have done other times, let us try to picture it now. The upper room is the same room as the Last Supper and where the disciples received the Holy Spirit in Pentecost. It is on the second floor of a building located in Mount Sion. It is a place of beautiful memories for Mary. Let’s try to imagine how big the room is, how it is decorated, what color the walls are, what color the curtains are, and so on.
After that, we want to focus on Mary. Let’s quickly remember all that Mary has experienced in the last three days, especially the hours of the crucifixion and receiving the dead body of Jesus from the Cross. The heart of Mary is an ocean of sadness. But let us not get confused; she suffered like no one else but stayed firm in faith and hope.
Such was the state of Mary’s heart when Jesus appeared to her. According to St. Teresa of Avila, Jesus had to hold his Mother for a long time until she returned to her senses; such was the sorrow she was carrying from the Passion.
It is hard to imagine the torrent of joy that the Risen Jesus transmitted right there, in an instant, to the heart of Mary. A joy proportionated to the sorrow that she had experienced.
St. Ignatius tells us to imagine how friends often console their friends in distress. Let us bring to mind a time when we were in deep grief and someone consoled us really well. Now, let us go into the heart of Mary and multiply what we felt by a billion – with this weare just scratching the surface.
To end our contemplation, let’s recall the words of the Regina Caeli.
V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us congratulate Mary with this beautiful hymn and ask her intercession so we can also experience the joy and the consolation of the Risen Lord.