Marginal people played a prominent role as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. Probably, the most marginal of any of Jesus' followers was Mary Magdalene.
We know little about this Mary except that she was possessed by "seven devils."
Possession allowed the seven foul spirits to control Mary--mind and body. Which probably drove her into a debauched moral life coupled with frightening emotional and psychological madness.
Mary was a mess. Nothing was normal. She was driven by her personal demons into a life of living death. No hope. No help. Scorned. Shamed. Used. Avoided. Feared. Life was hell.
Then she met Jesus and he delivered her from her evil captors. Immediately, Mary became a devoted follower of Christ. Nothing could separate her from the pure love she found in Christ. When most of his followers fled, Mary was one of the three Mary's at the foot of the cross.
It's no mistake that Mary alone appears in all four gospel accounts as the prime resurrection witness. Her encounter with the Risen Christ was quiet and holy. Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there..." (John 20:11-14)
Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first. Then he called her by name. And Mary cried out in Aramaic, "Robboni!' (which means Teacher)." Resurrection is personal, quiet, and gloriously supernatural.
Never forget that the Risen Christ appears to marginal people ... like me ... like you. Have a blessed Easter!
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