Mary Magdalene on Easter Morning

He's alive. Jesus is alive! I saw him. I don't know if the others

believe me but it's true.

At first I thought he was the gardener. I don't know why. I must not

have looked into his eyes. I must not have seen his powerful hands

that had embraced lepers and blessed children. I could never forget

his face. Never.

But I thought he was the gardener. The stone was rolled away from the

tomb and Jesus' body was gone. Two men in white were standing where

His body had been, and asked me why I was crying. I didn't know who

they were - I didn't understand any of it. "They've taken my Lord

away," I said, "and I don't know where they've put Him," and I walked

away from the empty grave.

I thought he was the gardener. I thought maybe he could tell me what

I wanted to know. I stood there crying and asking him where Jesus'

body was. Then he looked at me and said, "Mary."

It wasn't the gardener.

It was Jesus - and He was alive. Alive and real and I wanted to hold

on to him to be sure He never left again. But he put a flower into my

hand and said, "Life comes from death. Remember the seed that dies and

is buried so that it will live again. Now go and tell the others."

He's alive. Jesus is alive!

Judy Straalsund,