Mk 16:1-7
He has been raised: Mark ends his gospel with a small picture of the resurrection: the women discover that Jesus’ tombstone has been rolled back, a young man in white tells them that Jesus has indeed risen, and they flee trembling, bewildered, and afraid.
All the evangelists mention women going to Jesus’ tomb, but Mary of Magdala always heads the list. She must be the most eager of the group. The women know nothing of the fact that the tomb was sealed and a guard set there.
The burial on Friday evening was so hasty that there was no time to anoint Jesus. The Sabbath ended at sunset on Saturday evening, and with it the prescribed Passover rest. The women probably prepared the spices already on Friday.
The women have gone to the tomb at the bidding of their generous hearts, only realizing the difficulty that lies before them as they go along. They know nothing about the guards. How are they to get into the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus? They have no hopes of finding a willing man (with a crowbar) to roll away the tombstone at that early hour. Great is their joy at seeing the stone already rolled back. It is hardly surprising that they—especially Mary Magdalene—set out to come to the sepulchre without giving a thought to the stone which closed it, for all their thoughts are concentrated on Jesus alone.