Beloved in Christ, Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Let us read a passage from the Bible, John 11 : 28-36. This is a well-known incident where Jesus raises Lazarus from death. I'd like you to focus on Mary Magdalene, today. When Mary heard that Jesus had come to town 4 days after Lazarus was laid in the grave she did not wait for him to come home and comfort her. Instead, she ran to meet Him and fell at His feet crying and said "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died". Mary did not ask Jesus why He had not come earlier knowing that Lazarus was sick.

The reason why Mary did not question Jesus even during her tough times was because of her love for Him. How could Mary Magdalene love God so much?

Let us turn our Bibles to Luke 7: 37 -48. Here, Jesus was at Simon, a Pharisee's house when Mary entered the house with an alabaster box of ointment. She then washed Jesus' feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with ointment. Simon watching all this, thought to himself that Jesus would have known what kind of a woman Mary was if He was a prophet. Jesus knowing his thoughts told him a parable of a certain creditor who had 2 debtors, one owed him 500 pence and the other a 50. Both had nothing to pay but the creditor being a kind person forgave them both. After telling this Jesus asked Simon "whom do you think would have loved him the most?" Simon replied that the one whom the creditor had forgiven the most. Jesus then said " I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment.  Therefore I say unto you, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.         

This forgiveness that Mary Magdalene received from Jesus was the only reason she loved Him with all her heart. This love that Mary had for Him made her the first person to witness the risen Christ.        

Dear friends, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We have all been receiving the same Grace and forgiveness every day. But, How are we loving God? Are we loving Him the same way Mary did? If not let us examine ourselves and start loving God with all our hearts. 

God bless us all!Amen!