@Kelly Latimore Icons, “Mary Magdalene and Christ the Gardener”
Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus, whom she first mistakes for a gardener (John 20:11–18), is a powerful moment of recognition, transformation, and hope. In her grief, she fails to see Jesus for who He truly is until He calls her by name. This intimate recognition mirrors the experience of many of the immigrants who, displaced and unseen in foreign lands, long for someone to truly see and understand them. Like Mary, they often wander through unfamiliar gardens of hardship and uncertainty, searching for belonging. Jesus as the gardener symbolizes new life, growth, and care—an image that resonates deeply with the immigrant journey. It reminds us that resurrection often begins in hidden, quiet moments, and that those who are overlooked—like Mary, like immigrants—are often the first to witness grace and renewal. Through this meeting, we are invited to recognize Christ in the stranger, and to cultivate gardens of welcome and compassion.