Mary Magdelene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20: 18)

Christ had died and had been buried, a passing that happens to all mortals. His life appeared to have come to an end in total defeat. But then something happened that would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be, the Son of God. The cross could not defeat Him and the grave would not hold Him. He had risen from the dead and Mary was the first to see Him.

Mary had gone to visit the tomb and discovered it empty. She could not explain it nor did she try. As far as doctrines, beliefs and spiritual happenings, the Pharisees could have danced circles around her. She only knew that the person she had come to love and serve was no longer in the tomb where He had been laid. And her discovery of Jesus walking in the garden and speaking to her brought unspeakable joy, not the joy of being able to say, “See, I told you,” or of, “I knew He’d come back!” It was the simple presence of the Lord Himself that overwhelmed her.

We need to approach the Risen Jesus in the same way, with the joy of knowing that Christ is alive and present in our daily lives. We need to rejoice in the knowledge that, although we cannot physically see Jesus or touch him in a material way, His presence is still very real. May we not be “doubting Thomases” but rather “rejoicing Marys” in the reality of Jesus walk through this material world at our sides.

God of love and mercy, may we constantly be aware that we have nothing to fear in this world. Your Son is alive and walking beside us!