This Easter morning, in the midst of world-wide pandemic and quarantine, I want to think about Mary Magdalene. What do we know about this woman who was the first to see the Risen Lord? What can we learn from her?
We first meet this Mary in the gospel of Luke, the first three verses of chapter 8.
1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every acity and village, preaching and shewing the glad btidings of the kingdom of God: cand the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, aMary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
From this brief, almost incidental, mention we can learn much. Mary came from the town of Magdala, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, just 3 miles north of the city of Tiberias, from which the Roman governor ruled. She may have been a woman of some wealth, for she ministered to Christ of her “substance.”
But she was greatly troubled, possessed of seven evil spirits. The number seven indicates completeness, so she was just about as bad off as you can get. She came to the Savior for relief, and he healed her. We are not given a scene of her healing, but just this glimpse. We can only imagine the joyful change in her.
And, in gratitude, Mary followed the Savior, ministering to Him as He had ministered to her, giving to him what she had to give: service, food, funds. She evidently followed him to Jerusalem, along with the Savior’s mother Mary and other women disciples. Jesus left Galilee in the fall, months before the Passover of his death. She was likely with him that whole time, seeing to His needs, cooking, washing, providing cash.
She probably witnessed the raising of Lazarus, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the teaching in the temple.
And Mary of Magdala was surely with Him at His death. In Mark we read,
“There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome.”
While other disciples may have hidden in fear, Mary Magdalene, along with Jesus’s mother Mary and other women, were there at the Crucifixion site, suffering along with Jesus, trying to minister to him even in that extreme moment. It is painful, humiliating, and perhaps dangerous, but Mary will not leave her Healer (see Mark 15:40).
She even follows Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, watching as they take the body from the cross and prepare it for hasty burial. They see the body placed in the tomb and mark the location, for later on, they want to come and minister to their Lord for what they think, sorrowing, will be the last time. Being witnesses of the burial is important because if there is no burial, there will be no significance to the empty tomb. After the men have left, Mary, along with other women, stays: “And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.” (Matthew 27: 61). I can imagine the Marys there, leaning against the cold stone, weeping.
Then, after waiting and mourning through a long Sabbath day, Mary comes back as soon as possible, at first light on the first day of the week, with the other women, prepared with spices and linens to prepare the body themselves, not trusting the men to have done it right, or perhaps just wanting to do it themselves.
Then the great surprise: the tomb is empty. Mary and the other women do not assume that Christ has risen; they assume that enemies have taken the body and hidden it. They weep that they have not been able to handle the beloved body one last time. Mary, though she believes in the divinity of Christ, does not even begin to think that he could live again.
When Mary runs to tell the apostles of the empty tomb, it is a tale of theft:“They have taken away the bLord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.” (John 20: 2)
Mary returns with Peter and John to show them the empty tomb, but after they leave, she stays weeping in the garden, bereft and hopeless. She has known of Christ’s power, she has followed him, she has sacrificed for him, and now, it seems it is all over. She cannot even anoint his dead body.
Then she sees a man. Through her blurred, tear-filled vision, she turns to him, assuming he is a laborer, someone who cares for the garden. An accomplished woman, Mary asks politely, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” (John 20:15)
The Man turns and says simply, “Mary.” In that word, in that greeting, she knows. It is her living Lord, her friend, her deliverer.
And suddenly she knows this is not the end but the beginning.
Now, what do we learn? What can we learn from Mary of Magdala in this time of quarantine and worry?
Just this. When we are brought low, possessed of seven devils, completely overwhelmed, we can be healed. At this time of fear, faced with “seven devils”—Overwhelmed by sickness, loneliness, despair; beat down by loss of income, routine, and peace--We can, like Mary, turn to God and find serenity and healing.
Though our gifts may be small compared to Christ’s, they matter. We can minister to Him of our “substance” as Mary did. Even as we worry about the future, we can reach out in small (socially distant) ways to serve.
And, most of all, we can stay by the Savior’s side, even when times are hard, never giving up even in the darkest times. When we are in tears, crying, thinking all is lost, we can look up and hear the Savior call our name. He is there, alive, and He loves us.
