Father and your Father, My God and your God." It is as though He had said: "My Father and therefore your Father: My God and therefore your God: being Myself God's Son, I am therefore your Brother." O Mary Magdalene, far greater is thine honor in being commissioned to convey these brotherly words than would have been the honor of being permitted to touch with passionate love and adoration the Man of Nazareth. The Rapturous No sooner does Mary Magdalene receive this glorious message than she speeds as on the wings of the wind to bear it to the sorrowing disciples. Once before this morning has she flown, but it was as the messenger of woe: "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." Now she flies again, but it is as the messenger of glad tidings of great joy: "I have seen the Lord, and He has spoken unto me." Alas, so intense was the grief of the young brotherhood, so profound their despair, that when they heard from Mary's own lips that He was alive and that she had actually seen Him, they believed Mark xvi. 11. not. What a powerful evidence this of the historic truth of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! The very fact that they believed not is a reason why we should believe. lene the First Witness of the Risen Lord. Such is the story of the First Epiphany of Mary Magdathe Risen Lord. As it was in a Garden that the Tree of Life had been lost, so it was in a Garden that the Tree of Life was recovered. And since it was Woman who first sinned and so brought death into the world, meet it is that He 1 John iii. 10. Mark xvi. 9. Who is the Conqueror of Sin and Death should appear first of all to Woman. And since it was through Demon-hate that Woman fell, meet it is that He Who came to destroy the works of the Devil should appear first of all to her whom He had emancipated from demon thralldom. And so let us, with holy thanksgiving and homage to Him Who seeth the end from the beginning, and Who doeth all things well, accept the touching chronicle: "Now when He was risen early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons." THE EPIPHANY TO THE OTHER WOMEN. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him. MATTHEW XXViii. 8, 9. IV. THE EPIPHANY TO THE OTHER WOMEN. MEANTIME the other women, whom Mary Magdalene had suddenly left at the sepulchre in her flight to report to Peter and John the dreadful surmise of what she supposed to be a rifled tomb and stolen body, venture into the vault itself. They find to their dismay that it is indeed empty. Greatly perplexed, they suddenly see standing by them two angels in shining apparel. Startled and terrified, they bow down their faces to the earth. And now one of the shining ones speaks, saying: "Be not affrighted! I know Whom ye seek; it is Jesus the Nazarene, Who was crucified. Why seek ye the Living One among the dead? He is not here, but has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Remember how He spake unto you while He was still in Galilee, saying: The Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' Go quickly, and tell His disciples and Peter that He is risen from the dead. And, lo, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you. Lo, The Vision of Matt. xxviii. 5-7. Mark xvi. 5-7. Luke xxiv. 8–7. |