Mary Magdalene Meets the Risen Jesus

Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' close friends and followers. She had stayed near the cross when Jesus died, and she had seen where his body was laid in a tomb cut into the rock.

On the first day of the week, very early, while it was still dark, Mary came to the tomb. But the heavy stone across the entrance had been rolled away!

Mary ran to find Peter and the disciple Jesus loved. She told them someone had taken Jesus away, and she didn't know where he was. The two men ran to the tomb. They found the linen cloths lying there, but no Jesus. Then they went back home.

Mary stayed outside the tomb, crying. When she bent down to look in, she saw two angels in white, sitting where Jesus' body had been. They asked her why she was crying. She told them that someone had taken her Lord away.

Then she turned around and saw a man standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. He asked her why she was crying and whom she was looking for. Mary thought he was the gardener. She asked him to tell her where he had put Jesus, so she could go and get him.

Then Jesus spoke one word, her own name.

At once she knew him! She turned and called him Rabbouni, which means Teacher.

Jesus told her not to hold on to him, because he had not yet gone up to his Father. Instead, he gave her a job. She was to go to his brothers, the disciples, and tell them that he was going back to God the Father, who was now their Father too.

So Mary Magdalene ran to the disciples with the most wonderful news ever. She told them she had seen the Lord, and she told them everything he had said.

Mary was the first to see the risen Jesus and the first to tell the good news. Jesus knows each of us by name, and he sends us to share his joy.