Now, risen from the dead, alive forever more, Jesus reveals himself to Mary Magdalene, first.  This is the lady out of whom he cast seven demons!  Mary, holding the precious anointing oil, looked into the tomb in wonderment. She first saw two angels, then, to her surprise and delight she saw Jesus, the first person to see him that morning.  “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

The love that bonded Mary Magdalene to Jesus was precious – love that needed no interpreter.  Jesus had set her free, she served him for many months in Galilee, now in Jerusalem.   She was driven by her love for Him.  I should not be surprised that she was the first human to see Jesus after he rose from the dead.   That was just like Jesus!

After conversing with her, Jesus left.  Without hesitation she ran, ran with all her might, to tell the disciples what she had just seen and experienced!  As she ran, she was so excited.  Jesus, her Jesus, just talked to her!  Amazing!  “I have seen the Lord!” she cried out when she saw her friends.

I was sixteen years old, lost and perplexed.  On October 10, 1944 I, too, saw the Lord.  He began to remake me and to bring me ever closer to him.  As Mary, I was astounded.  I still am.  But I have found that there are people like me over this entire world.  All of us know, I have seen the Lord.