People are often puzzled that Jesus' disciples failed to recognize him when he rose from the dead. This failure, however, is an important part of the good news that Jesus rose from the dead, for it teaches us to realize that we are dealing with a great mystery of faith. To put it very simply, the ability to see and recognize, and so to accept, the Risen Jesus, was not a matter of mere eyesight, but a grace from the Risen Jesus himself.

The Gospels do not describe the actual resurrection. They rather teach us that Jesus appeared to people as the already risen Christ. Hence the importance of the stories of the appearances of Jesus: they are not simply additions to the Resurrection. Jesus appears to people so that they may accept him in faith and so he does not appear to those who have no faith. Jesus offers his presence to faith, even though it is hesitant, resisting, fragile. For faith finally accepts.

This doctrine is presented to us very clearly in the story of Mary Magdalene at the tomb. It is not she who recognized Jesus first, but Jesus who accepted her by calling her by her name thus bringing her to recognize him as the Risen Lord.