When the resurrected Jesus told Mary not to cling to Him, he was gently correcting Mary’s hope that Jesus, like Lazarus, had been returned to her and the disciples and life could now “get back to normal.” As humans our perspective of life and death is limited. We always assume that life as we know it is preferable to the life to come. What Mary couldn’t understand, was that Lazarus had been raised to life only to die again. Jesus, however, would never again die. Mary wanted to hold on to Jesus, but He wanted her to understand that there is something better than resuscitation: RESURRECTION. How often we long for the return of our dead loved ones, wanting to hold on to them for just a little while longer. Jesus’ invitation to “let go” is an invitation to believe that resurrection is better than resuscitation; that life after life after death is the ultimate victory.