I came across Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene (1454-1455) in my undergraduate course. I was intrigued by how her long her covered her whole body. Perhaps Donatello made this artistic choice to express Mary’s penitence.

El Greco portrays Mary Magdalene contemplating the crucifix. Such artwork is a reminder of how artists have often depicted Mary Magdalene and her love for Christ.

Thinking about Mary Magdalene is fitting on this day. Pope Francis raised her memorial to a feast in the Church in 2016. Magdalene’s witness is critical on Easter morning. John gives the only account of Magdalene’s meeting with the Risen Christ. Her witness is the first to ignite the mission of the Apostles. Pope Saint Gregory called her testis divinae misericordiae (witness to divine mercy).

In reflecting on Mary Magdalene and the women on Easter morning, the Gospel accounts give us different perspectives of the one event.

Matthew gives a cosmic account. He states,

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men (28:1-4).

Matthew seems to give a comical joy-filled testament! The angel rolls away this massive stone … effortlessly … and sits on it! The women run with fear and great joy. They meet Jesus on the road! They touch and worship him. They run to tell the others that Jesus is alive!

There is no cosmic event in Mark’s telling of the same morning. In Mark’s account, the women meet a young man inside the tomb. The stone had been rolled away. Mary Magdalene goes to tell the others, but they would not believe her testimony (16:1-9).

Luke gives a more descriptive telling (24:1-12) as the women brought spices at early dawn, the stone rolled away. No one is in the tomb! In their perplexity, two men stood before them and announced the Lord’s Resurrection. The women go to tell the apostles, they think it is idle talk. Peter goes to see for himself and finds the tomb empty, returning home in wonder.

John gives a very different account of the Resurrection of the Lord. It is still dark and Mary comes to the tomb. The stone is already rolled away and without having gone in the tomb, she runs to tell Simon Peter and the disciples that someone robbed the body of their Lord. Peter and the Beloved Disciple go inside the tomb and find only the linen wrapped up. The disciples went back to their homes.

Then, Mary Magdalene is alone. What follows is an intimate moment that occurs only in John. Jesus calls Mary by her name and Mary recognizes her Lord as Teacher.

What do we make of these various accounts. The details vary slightly. One account is at the break of morning, the other still at night. Are there one or two men, spiritual beings, or angels? Do we touch Jesus or not?

Abbot Jeremy gives insight to these various perspectives of the same event:

It is not possible to coordinate the resurrection accounts of the four evangelists. They are not consistent in their details. They create different moods. They evoke different reactions. They raise and answer theological questions differently and leave other questions unanswered. At first glance this may seem disturbing, even cause for doubt. But actually the fact that such a coordination is impossible is rooted in the new reality itself of resurrection. The texts refuse to let themselves be tamed into a simple narrative of just another something that happened and can be told. We are in a new realm now where language and narration struggle, and the different narrative styles and details of the evangelists are Spirit-inspired means that put us into contact with this new reality, this new realm of inexhaustible richness, a reality (98).

The Resurrection of Christ is something new and it will not be tamed by human words. I hold this in my heart as I consider Mary Magdalen in John’s account.

Mary Magdalene reminds me that in the depth of life’s darkness, in the remotest valley of our fears, in the face of death, Christ comes to us.

Jesus calls me by name and when my heart hears his voice, I pour out all my pain and hurt and am filled with renewed love for Him. I am rooted in the reality that he has conquered death. He has prepared a place for me. He has remembered me!

I find immense hope in the life of Mary Magdalene! No matter where I am on my journey, Christ will always come to meet me. As immense as the universe may be, Jesus knows where to find me, Jesus knows my name. When he utters my name, my heart is moved and I recognize him as my Teacher. He calls me to be witness of his mercy.