The Unexpected Presence of Jesus | Monday Invocation

Written By Mick Atencio

“[Mary] turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.”

—  John 20:14 NRSVUE

I send you all greetings on this Easter Monday, where we observe, remember, and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is indeed a season worth celebrating, but we may not always feel ready or even capable of taking joy in the observance of the Easter season.

We may be feeling pain and suffering from personal situations or encounters that have left us drained. Jesus is present with us in our loneliness.

We may be walking through seasons of doubt, deconstruction, or reframing our understanding of faith. Jesus is present with us on our journeys.

We may be feeling the weight of the pain and suffering experienced by ourselves and our LGBTQ+ siblings around the globe. Jesus is present with us in our solidarity.

This verse about Mary in our resurrection story stood out to me, because Mary didn’t recognize Jesus in the sorrowful and heavy moments after the grave was found empty. This reminds me that in our suffering, our doubt, or our fear, we are not alone. Even after Jesus’s resurrection, there is room for weeping; there is room for not knowing. Grace abounds in the moments when we feel like Jesus is least present.

So this Easter Monday, I want to offer an invitation to reflect: Where has Jesus unexpectedly shown up in your life recently, even if it doesn’t quite feel worth celebrating?

 
Mick Atencio

Mick Atencio (they/them) is a queer, neurodivergent, and trans nonbinary artist and theologian. They are passionate about worship music and poetry and received their B.A. in Worship Arts from Grand Canyon University. They are the author of a poetry collection titled (re)love published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. Mick is currently working toward a Masters of Divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary, with their thesis and cumulative capstone focusing on the elemental forces in biblical creation narratives and poems. They have also been published by enfleshed and Sojourners, and currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia with their husband Mitchell. In their free time, Mick enjoys baking, thrift shopping, learning how to play tennis, and creating art in various mediums.

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