Then Came the Morning

Then Came the Morning

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene,

Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that

they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.  Very early on the first day

of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the

tomb, and they asked each other.

“Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone,

which was very large, had been rolled away.

Mark 16:1-4

Matthew lists Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee as the women who came to the tomb.  Mark adds Salome to the list, and Luke remembers Joanna. These women were the last to leave on Friday, and the first to arrive on Sunday morning.  Matthew indicates that when Joseph of Arimathea finished placing Jesus in the tomb on Friday, he rolled a big stone” in front of the entrance and then “went away.”  Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” still sat by the  tomb.  Matthew, Mark and Luke indicate that some or all of these women came to the tomb on Sunday morning and had a conversation with angels.

John indicates that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb before dawn on Sunday morning, and found it empty.  She ran to Peter and John, who went to take a look.  John says they “saw and believed,” but they did not stay.  So it fell to a lone woman, Mary Magdalene, to speak to the man she mistakenly thought was the gardener.  Mary’s joy leaps from the pages of Scripture as Jesus speaks her name:  Mary!  Jesus sent her on a mission to the disciples to proclaim the message of a risen Savior:  I have seen the Lord!

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I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today.

I know that He is living, whatever foes my say.

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life’s narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart.

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

(The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 310)