Mary Magdalene—Following God No Matter Where She Was Led

We know a lot about Mary of Magdala.  There are a few questions about her relationship prior to meeting Jesus.  Let us not speculate what led her to Jesus.  Let us concentrate on what she did after she came to find Jesus as her Savior.

Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels more times than some of the other Disciples.  We know that Mary was there following Jesus throughout his ministry.  She witnessed the feeding of the multitudes.  She watched Jesus as he healed the Sick.

Even though these are the things that she witnessed, there is something that Mary experienced that was much more important.  Mary was there with the beloved Disciple and Mary the Mother of Jesus when Jesus was led to the hill of Golgotha.  She was there as Jesus died on the cross.  She witnessed Jesus being taken down from the cross and buried.

Mary’s story doesn’t end at the death of Jesus, just like Jesus life did not end with his death.  Mary Magdalene woke up that first Easter Morning and ran to the tomb of her beloved Savior.  She gets to the tomb only to find that the stone had been rolled away.  She looks in the tomb and finds Jesus is not there.  She runs as fast as she can back to the Disciples to tell them what she has seen.

The Disciples beat her back to the tomb and discover what she said is true.  No one at that moment knew what they were experiencing.   The Disciples leave the tomb.  Mary is so devastated that she stands staring into the empty tomb. 

It is in that moment that she hears a man asking her why she is looking for the living among the dead.  She thinking it is the Gardner tells him her Savior is gone.  It is then that Jesus reveals himself to Mary.  We have to remember that it was Mary Magdalene that first saw the resurrected Jesus.  She believes with all of her heart that her Savior was raised from the tomb.  She knew that she was experiencing the miracle of all miracles.

Mary Magdalene was there in the upper room when Jesus appeared to the disciples.  Mary was much more important to shaping of Christianity than most people want to give her credit.  Jesus had to feel close to Mary and knew of her faith to appear to her first.  She also establishes the value of women in the Christian ministry.  Mary was one of the first women who followed Jesus no matter where she was led.  She did not run and hide like the Disciples instead she followed Jesus to his death. 

It is important when we study history that we recognize that women played vital roles in shaping Christian History.  Women are important to today’s Christianity world.  It is time that we realize that women deserve to be recognized for what they can do to help the Christian Community.  Mary is a prime example of a woman who through faith followed Jesus wherever she was led.