By Pastor Bill Kohler, First Baptist Church of Owego —
What a contrast. Mary Magdalene, who was once possessed by seven demons, is now holding Jesus, the very Son of God.
We do not know what she was like when she was demon-possessed, does it matter?
In the dynamic movie “The Passion of Christ “she is portrayed as the lady in the circle of condemnation who was accused of committing adultery. Also, she is portrayed with Mary, the mother of Jesus, wiping up the blood of Jesus on the floor with towels supplied by weeping Pilate’s wife.
Whatever her sinful life was like, it was not any worse than mine or possibly yours before Christ forgave us.
After Jesus restored her from demon possession, she committed her life to literally following Jesus and the disciples to provide for their needs. Never again did she backslide into sinful habits.
Her intense love for Jesus was demonstrated when she was the first at the tomb on resurrection Sunday. She was there to anoint the mangled, abused body of Jesus after he was tortured to death by the Roman soldiers.
Churches today have dedicated women who care for those in need and serve without dignity to demonstrate their love by being ‘foot washers’ for Jesus. When Mary observed the tomb was empty, she was broken-hearted suspecting they had taken the body away. Standing behind her was Jesus, who said “Mary.”
With tears of joy, she clung to Jesus. Jesus said, “Mary, you need to let me go for I have not ascended to my Father.”
One of the hardest things you may face in life is to let go of that one you love with all your heart so that they can be with Jesus.
My wife died a year and a half ago. I had to let her go into heaven’s realm without any more tears or pain. I still feel her loving presence in the shadows of my life.
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