epened when he met
Mary Magdalene again.

It is not easy for us to put ourselves in the place of John, as he turns
from the tomb toward his lonely home. _We_ know what happened afterward,
but he did not know what would happen, though his Lord had tried to
teach him. He is repeating to himself the words he had heard from the
cross, "It is finished," but he is giving them some difference of
meaning from that which Jesus intended. He is walking slowly and sadly
through the streets of Jerusalem, dimly lighted by the moon that shone
in Gethsemane the night before upon him and his living Lord. We imagine
him saying to himself:--"Truly it is finished: all is over now. How
disappointed I am. I do not believe He intended to deceive me, yet I
have been deceived. From early childhood I looked, as I was taught to
do, for the coming of the Messiah. On Jordan I thought I had found Him.
He chose me for one of His twelve, then one of the three, then the one
of His special love. What a joy this has been, brightening for three
years my hopes and expectations. I have seen Him work miracles, even
raising the dead. I have seen Him defeat the plots of evil men against
Him, and did not believe any power on earth could destroy Him. I have
watched to see Him the great and glorious King. But to-day instead of
this I have seen Him crucified as the feeblest and worst of men. I do
remember now how Moses and Elijah, when we were with them on the Holy
Mount, talked with Him of 'His departure which He was about to
accomplish at Jerusalem.' But I did not understand them, nor even
Himself when, just before we ascended the Mount, He told us 'how that He
must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things, ... and be killed.' I do
not wonder that Peter then said to Him, 'Be it far from Thee, Lord,'
though the Lord was right in rebuking him. Can it be only last night He
said, 'Tarry with Me.' How gladly would I do it now. But He is dead, and
buried out of my sight. Oh that I might see Him rise, as I did the
daughter of Jairus. Oh that I might roll away the stone from His tomb as
I helped to do from that of Lazarus, and see Him come forth. How gladly
would I 'loose Him' from His 'grave-bands' and remove the 'napkin bound
about His face.' I know it was a mean and shameful taunt of His revilers
when they said, 'If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the
cross.' But why did He not do it? I remember how once He said concerning
His life, 'no one taketh it away from