Mary Magdalene First

When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter, the Gospels agree that he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. But why Mary? Why not to one of his other friends? From the Bible we know precious little about Mary Magdalene. We know she was from Magdala, a small fishing village near the Sea of Galilee. We know that Jesus cast from her seven demons. And, following her release, we know that Mary was one of Jesus' most devoted disciples. Beyond that the Bible says precious little.

The Bible does not say whether Mary was rich or poor, whether she was married or had children. Further, the Bible never suggests she was a person of low moral character. She was not a prostitute. She had not been caught in adultery. And, she was not the weeping woman who bathed Jesus' feet with tears and annointed them with perfume. Modern stories that portrary Mary as Jesus' spouse or even the mother of his children are pure fiction.

But, of all the friends of Jesus, she saw him first following his resurrection. That seems meaningful to me.

Whenever something remarkable happens in my life, I want to share the news. When my children were born, the phone calls started ringing immediately--first parents and siblings, then other relatives and close friends. But, when my mother died last summer, I was overseas without a phone, surrounded by people I had only recently met. Fortunately I found solace with my wife, my son, and with people who happened to be with me.

The resurrection stands out as the most sigificant event in history, and Jesus shared the news first with Mary Magdalene. I wonder, did she "earn" that honor, or was she merely at the right place at the right time. I believe it was a little of both.

"Lucky" people are also often outgoing people. You can only be at the right place at the right time if you go places. If you sit at home waiting for the telephone to ring with good news, you might wait a long time. But, if you're out in the world--meeting people, working hard, trying to make a difference, things happen. I know the importance of times for reflection and contemplation. People who are busy often get overwhelmed with their lives. Quiet, alone time is necessary to help us keep perspective. However, in Mary's case, her actions put her in the position to see Jesus first.

While other disciples fled, fearing for their lives, Mary stayed near Jesus. She witnessed every gruesome step of his march to Calvary. She lingered at the foot of the cross as Jesus' life slipped away. She helped wrap the bloody corpse and prepared it for burial. Others were there, too, but Mary Magdalene, alone among the friends of Jesus, witnessed every agonizing moment. And, early Easter morning, who first went to the tomb? Not Peter, not John, not one of the other disciples, but Mary and her friends. She saw Jesus first, because she refused to leave him, even in death.

True love and loyalty are far more precious than power and popularity. Power is often based on position. Take away the position and the power is gone. Similarly, popularity is fleeting. We feel affection toward people who amuse us, flatter us, or possess something we want. But such feelings should never be mistaken for true love.

Throughout his life Jesus, won crowds of admirers through his teaching and his miracles. Yet, this affection dissipated after Jesus' ministry moved in unpopular directions. When Jesus overturned the merchants' tables and condemned the temple authorities, suddenly his popularity faded.

It's remarkable that despite the many lives he touched, Jesus suffered the cross nearly by himself. But Mary was there. Her loyalty to Jesus was nurtured by personal experiences that extended over many years. Her love for him was no passing fancy, but touched the core of her soul and easily survived even the most disasterous circumstances. She would not abandon Jesus. He freed her from seven demons. He transformed her life. And, for her devotion, every generation since has honored her memory.

Luke tells a story about Jesus healing ten lepers. They all were infected with leprosy and lived as outcasts. And, thanks to Jesus, they all were made clean. While all ten received the same cure, only one returned to Jesus and said thank you. How surprising.

Whether or not Mary Magdalen performed any more remarkable deeds in her life, we can only speculate. However, in the Easter story, her love and loyalty earned her a place in history. And, we should all follow her example.

Too often, I am like the disciples who run away from Jesus when I'm afraid. Or, I'm like one of the nine healed lepers who shares my blessings with everyone while failing to bless the one who blessed me first. Fortunately Easter comes back every year and we are reminded that some friends showed loyalty to Jesus, while others betrayed his love. Are we all that different? Fortunately, Jesus loves us unconditionally, and allows us to choose the example we will follow. This year, let it be Mary's.