Martin Luther talked about the human heart as a factory of idols -- in summary, he said we have an amazing ability to turn almost anything into an idol. Augustine talked about it as a disordered loves, in that we love other things more than God. We look at the world, and we see other things to worship, and we neglect the worship of God.
Mary falls prey to the same temptation in a different way. She's not guilty of idolatry, but she looks directly at Jesus and sees a gardener. She's despondent and wracked by grief, so it makes sense, but it's strange to picture, this woman who knows Jesus looking directly at the resurrected Savior and assuming it's a stranger.
We do the same thing. God shows up and is active in the world and in our lives, and we assume that it's something else. Our eyes aren't clouded by grief, but usually by some other worldly desire, and so we're caught up chasing the world's success, and we miss God in front of us.
May we pray for clear vision, for God to direct the eyes of our heart, that we may see when God is in our lives, leading us forward, and follow God wherever we are led.
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