Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” … But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one a the head and the other at the feet. John 20:1-2, 11-12
The angels ask Mary Magdalene why she is weeping and she responds, “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid Him.” She does not quite know what we already know– He Is Risen!! For Mary, Jesus’ blood, bones, and body are Holy and she has a religious duty to sit shiva with His body. (Genesis 50:1-14) Yet, all four Gospels agree that Jesus died on Passover which cancels shiva. He is the Passover Lamb slain for the sins of the world, victorious over any and all evil within humanity; His sacrificial blood, the Holiness of His being, cleanses you from all unrighteousness when repentance is very truly present in you.
Jesus of Nazareth the Savior dies on Friday, Passover. Jesus Christ the Redeemer is Resurrected on Sunday, our new day of Worship as His New Covenant Church (ekklesia). Because of the depth of Mary’s sorrow the angels make no difference in Mary’s understanding of the finality of His death. Does she not notice the empty head and body wrappings and the limp napkin with His facial imprint laying dormant? Her sorrow causes an inability to think. She is in mourning shock from His death.
She turns back into in the garden in front of the tomb entrance and then Jesus speaks her name to her. Her recognition is instantaneous v.16. “Mary.” “Rabboni” Master. (Christ teaches us here to speak the name of the one sorrowing to them.) As He speaks her name Mary is transformed in Him by the renewing of her mind. Afterwards, she goes from Him to tell the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection. Dear “Mary” is the first Evangelist, the first to announce Christ’s Resurrection, and the first to Preach the Good News of Jesus Christ Resurrected — let us give all praise to the Heavenly Father for giving us Jesus Christ Savior and Lord Resurrected!
