"20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her."
John 20:1-18
Somehow, tragically, Mary had become devil-possessed. If the story of Legion is any guide, we can well imagine the lonely torment of her soul, the restless agonies she passed through as forces within her that she could neither control nor understand pulled her almost to pieces. And Christ healed her into rest and peace. Just as He had stilled the storm on Galilee, He had stilled her storm. And from that point she had companied with Him in adoring devotion, conscious that nearness to Him was her only safeguard for continued wholeness. And now, her Lord had been crucified, and it was a lonely, tragic figure that could be seen wending its disconsolate way to the garden tomb on the first day of the week, with two emotions gripping her heart, one her grief, the other great and terrible fears. The calm of His presence was now no more. What if the old malady were to return, to lead her again into torment. We can imagine the tears that had convulsed her whole being during these dark and desolate hours as she realised that her one hope, her one guarantee, of deliverance from the fearful tyranny was now gone. Utter loneliness, despair and fear. And then the wonderful experience on the morning of the third day. 'Weeping endureth for a night, but joy cometh in the morning'. He came to her, and with one word, He spoke her into rest and peace. 'Mary', He said, that was all. It was sufficient. The Lord was risen from the dead!