The birds sang sweetly, as if they knew some wonderful secret. Mary wished they would be quiet. They were on their way to Jesus’ tomb and they all knew the reason—Mary had to say goodbye. Everyone tried to convince her that Jesus was gone but she couldn’t come to grips with the reality of it. As they trudged along, Mary tried to ponder other things: the weather, what she would do this afternoon, anything. It was useless. The image of Jesus, her beloved Jesus, on the cross was ingrained in her head.
They had walked through the garden and come to the place where He was buried. Startled by the image ahead, she sprinted to the site of the grave. Everything was the same, except for the bolder had been if front. It was rolled aside. Careless of her own well-being, Mary ran to the site. Careful examination of the tomb raised her suspicions. Had someone stolen the body? How could anyone move the behemoth of a stone? Suddenly, without notice, two brilliant figures appeared. As if to answer her thoughts, they proclaimed, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "
Jesus’ words came back to the woman. Mary’s first thought was that she had to tell the others.
Mary knelt in the garden sobbing. Peter and John had rushed to the ancient graveyard on hearing the news—leaving her in the dust. She had gotten there as soon as they were leaving. Yet she couldn’t draw herself from the tomb to go depart with them.
Deciding she had to leave, Mary bent over to take in one more glance of the site that had caused such confusion. As she did, she saw the two angels. They asked her,
"Woman, why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
NOTE: The bottom conversation between Jesus and Mary is taken straight from John 20:13-16.
The reason why I chose this section of the Bible to write about is because I think that too often, our salvation becomes a monotonous thing. We hear about it so often that we loose our awe of it.
Also, I appreciate Mary Magdalene's complete devotion to Jesus. She so devoted to Jesus that Him saying her name was a completely unique and personal experience.
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