On an indirectly related point: Jesus told the 'good thief' 'Today you will be with me in paradise'. But, he told Mary Magdalen two days later not to touch Him because he had not yet ascended to the Father. So, either the paradise Jesus referred to on the cross is not heaven or He was possibly referring to the union of Himself with God the Father who would, of course, have been with the good thief once Jesus released the souls of the just from Sheol/Abraham's Bosom. It is a bit of a mystery that I do not recall ever being referred to in a homily.
Steve, I am unsure why in John's Gospel Jesus gave those instructions to Mary Magdalen, because a week later he allowed Thomas to examine His wounds. My assumption (no proof) is the promise of Paradise given to the repentant thief was fulfilled sequentially: first, the thief went with Jesus and was joined with the just souls in Sheol, who were all then taken by Jesus to Paradise. After all, there is no sense of time once one is dead, or at least in the 24 hrs/day we live in. My take on Jesus saying, 'Today you will be with me in paradise" was to convey certainty and imminence. Safe in the Arms of the Savior!
Bookmark Good points. Something to research, ask an ace apologist. I did call a show in the past year. Catholic Answers, live on Facebook and youtube but there are other shows.
