After some short naps through the night, Mary Magdalene rushed to dress and left her home in morning’s early hours to the site of tomb.
She arrived at the garden. "The GRAVE!" Mary Magdalene cried. She ran to John and Peter. "They've removed the Lord's body from the tomb!" John and Peter rushed away from the area, but Mary Magdalene could not keep up with them. Slowly, she returned to the garden and peered into the damp tomb. Mary Magdalene and the two women saw a coiled cerecloth -- and no physical body. There was no explanation.
From no where, the gloomy tomb lit up with the radiant appearance of two men. The women shielded their eyes with their hands, protecting them from the overwhelming brightness. Then one of the angels spoke. "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"
What a question! Mary Magdalene wondered what he was talking about? "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, as He said."
The women were shocked. "How could this be?" ran through their heads.
Mary Magdalene stayed at the Garden, while the others left. She sat alone, trying to understand what had happened. "How could Jesus be alive?" she pondered, knowing that she had washed the dead corpse. The woman also realized that if this was really true, then Jesus is the MESSIAH.
Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps and looked up. "Why are you weeping?"
"Sir, if you took the body, please tell me where you've put him. I wish to bring him back."
"Mary."
"Teacher!" She fell to her knees. It was JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH. Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, had risen from the grave.
***
Later Mary Magdalene tried to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead, but they were cynical. They asked her why Jesus would appear before her –- a woman, and one with her background?
The disciples knew all about the life of Mary Magdalene.
She thought about what they had said. Perhaps the reason why Jesus appeared to her FIRST was to demonstrate that He accepted her and that His forgiveness was eternal -- even for her: Mary Magdalene, an unhappy woman reared by a wealthy family, that had engaged in compromise and ruinous acts so much, that even her husband had given her back to her father.
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