Mary Magdalen rose early before the sun came up. The stars were bright in the sky and the crickets were singing under the sliver of a white moon. The spices she carried in her basic wafted through the air as her long skirts brushed quickly and quietly over the damp grass. She would meet her friends at the tomb at sunrise, but she headed out early so that she could spend a few minutes alone.
As she rounded the corner passed the gnarled olive tree, she could see the tomb where she had watched Nicodemus and Joseph place Jesus' body, but something was dreadfully wrong. The stone was moved and the dark mouth of the cave stood gaping open. She ran to the tomb and looked inside. Jesus' body was gone!
Her breath came in short gasps as she raced to Peter's home where John had been staying along with Jesus' mother since the crucifixion. Her incessant banging woke everyone in house. John and Peter reached the door at the same time. "He's gone"! Mary was visibly shaking.
"Who's gone?" Peter demanded irritated at being woken so early and with such a racket.
"They have taken Jesus' body, and I don't know where they put it."
That was all the men needed to hear. Peter managed to get through the doorway first running toward the garden. But John, smaller and more in shape, out ran Peter arriving at the tomb first. Panting and out of breath, he looked inside and saw a pile of linen strips lying on the outcropping of rock where he had watched the two men lay Jesus' body just three days prior.
Seconds later Peter arrived and pushing past John who was catching his breath, he entered the tomb. There were the linen strips for the body, but the head piece was folded neatly in a corner by itself. John followed Peter into the mouth of the cave. They looked at each other, fear penetrating taking away what little breath they had left. Why would the Romans take his body? What were they planning to do with it? Would they display it on a wall like king Saul's body was displayed by the Philistines? Would they hang it on a spike near the entrance of Jerusalem like an enemy of the state?
In shock and renewed fear they headed back to Peter's home, forgetting about Mary Magdalene weeping by the stone.
The sun was just coming over the horizon when Mary's friends arrived. Each was carrying her own basket of spices. The birds were already singing and the dew sparkled in the early morning rays of sunlight, but none of the women noticed. Joanna saw the gapping mouth of the tomb first and quickened her steps. "What's going on?" she yelled at Mary when she saw the tomb was empty.
"I don't know. I think the Romans took his body," Mary sobbed.
"I don't believe it." Mary, the mother of James and John pushed past Mary into the cave. Mary Magdalene, still weeping bent over and looked inside. There were two men dressed in white sitting on the slab where Jesus' body had been. Her brow wrinkled, puzzled at how the two men had passed her without her seeing them.
"Why are you weeping?". They asked. "Are you looking for someone?"
"Mary stepped forward. "Someone has taken Jesus' body and I don't know where they laid him."
Then one of the angels said to the women "“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
A great wave of emotions swept over the women. The strange words of the man in white sounded vaguely familiar. But they didn't make since. He couldn't be alive, not after all the torture the soldiers had put him through. They were standing right there when the centurion shoved his spear into Jesus' side and the blood and water gushed out. In silence and fear the small band of women turned to leave.
Then Mary saw whom she assumed was the gardener. Whatever the Romans were up to, they would not have bothered to involve a lowly gardner, she reasoned. Still weeping, she quickened her steps, her friends close behind her.
"Why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?". The man asked her.
"Sir, if you have taken the body, tell me where you laid him so that I can take him and burry him elsewhere."
Then that precious, all consuming word pierced through Mary's overwhelming sorrow and confusion, "Mary". Oh how sweet the breath of her savior was to Mary's weary soul. Without hesitation she was at his feet in worship. Her friends arriving, also fell at his feet in worship.
"Stop clinging to me". Jesus said as he raised Mary to her feet. "but go tell the disciples the disciples to meet me in Galilee."
Mary Magdalene and the band of women rushed back to Peter's house to give them the unbelievably good news!
And so begins the new chapter in their lives and ours.
(Mt 27:61; 28:1-8; Mk 15:40,47; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; John 20:1-18).
