The first person Jesus talked to after his resurrection was a black woman. Let that sink in.

After his resurrection, the first person Jesus talks to is Mary Magdalene. This encounter is detailed in the Gospel of John, Chapter 20, verses 14-18. Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus’s tomb, finds it empty, and encounters Jesus, though she doesn’t recognize him immediately. When he speaks her name, she realizes who he is.

In addition the first person charged with sharing this news, the news of the resurrection was that same black women. She brought the news to the Apostles.

Recognizing this fact, she is considered a saint by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran denominations. In 2016, Pope Francis elevated her liturgical memory to a feast, referring to her as the “Apostle of the apostles”1.

Mary Magadalene was also historically one of his chief financial supporters.

Mary Magdalene – Wikipedia

While the snow fell,

we, exhausted from excitement,

lay dreaming.

First one awoke,

then crept,

from room…

to room,

waking,

each of us,

one

by

one,

until finally we would go to their room.

Not knowing how late they had been up,

How tired they were, from,

wrapping present after present,

putting this toy and that toy together,

Finally.

After he had gone down to check,

if Santa had come,

we could go downstairs,

Years later,

with myself feeling that same deep,

parental exhaustion.

My children had to wait,

that same exhilarating,

wait,

before they could open their gifts

on Christmas morn.

© words by Daniel DeMarle 12/10/24