Today is the day set aside for Mary Magdalene, the first to see the resurrected Christ. The woman who was healed of seven (7!!) demons. What kind of demons they were we are left to speculate - mental illnesses maybe? Depression, psychosis, autism, dementia certainly are demons even today. Those demons are real enough, so are fear, pride, stubbornness and many more. Mary Magdalene went from battling demons to being the first to bear witness to the resurrection. We don't know how she was healed, but we do know her response: she traveled with him and the disciples and provided for them from their own means. She lived what she experienced and heard:
Matthew 25:35- "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’"
Her final act of caring for her savior was to anoint his body after his death. She was where her savior was (or where she believed him to be) at the tomb, to do the last act of caring that she could - regardless of the association being there would mean, regardless of soldiers, temple guards, or a large stone. She knew where she needed to be and what needed to be done.
May we all live what we have heard and do what we know needs to be done.
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