Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher) ... Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:  "I have seen the Lord!" ~~John 20:16,18

Falling In

As the tour group walked around the grounds of The Garden Tomb, as we stopped at an overlook platform and viewed the skull-like image of Gordon's Calvary, as we walked through the lush and colorful gardens, as we passed the winepress (excavated in 1924 and thought to be of pre-Christian origin) and the water cistern (confirmed to be of pre-Christian origin and giving credence that this was a place of a working garden or vineyard at the time of Jesus), and as we stepped into the tomb (cut out of the rock and complete with a groove cut across the outside door, perfect for a rolling stone) I could not help but be filled with the awe at what might have taken place here. 

One of our members, Christin, stepped out of the tomb with tears streaming down her face. Perhaps this was out of love for God's mercy, that He would allow His Son to have come to this earth to live, die, and be resurrected again. Or perhaps she was struck by the magnificent power that must have pushed itself through the power of death in order that the tomb be empty. Perhaps, like Mary, she just couldn't take it all in ... for the things of God are so much bigger than we have the ability to comprehend.

Our tour director, Dana, took us to the benches directly in front of the tomb's door and asked us a simple question:  “Why do you think Jesus had such a ministry to women?” It was a perfect place for such a question, for this may have been the spot where the two Marys sat, watching and weeping as Joseph and Nicodemus placed Jesus' body to rest.

We spoke for a while, sometimes passionately, about the women whom Jesus loved and who loved Him, knowing we are among their numbers. It was women, we said, who stood at the base of the cross (quite a number according to the Gospels), who came three days later to take care of Him, and who first saw Him in resurrected form.