perceived a tall
figure, clothed in white, standing at about ten paces from the
sepulchre on the east side of the garden, where there was a slight rise
in the direction of the town; the figure was partly hidden from her
sight by a palm-tree, but she was somewhat startled when it addressed
her in these words: 'Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?' She
thought it was the gardener; and, in fact, he had a spade in his hand,
and a large hat (apparently made of the bark of trees) on his head. His
dress was similar to that worn by the gardener described in the parable
which Jesus had related to the holy women at Bethania a short time
before his Passion. His body was not luminous, his hole appearance was
rather that of a man dressed in white and seen by twilight. At the
words, 'Whom seekest thou?' she looked at him, and answered quickly, 'Sir, if
thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him; and I will
take him away.' And she looked anxiously around. Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She then instantly recognised his beloved voice, and turning quickly,
replied, 'Rabboni (Master)!' She threw herself on her knees before him, and
stretched out her hands to touch his feet; but he motioned her to be
still, and said, 'Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my
Father; but go to my brethren and say to them: I ascend to my Father
and to your Father, to my God and your God.' He then disappeared.

The reason of the words of Jesus, 'Do not touch me,' was afterwards
explained to me, but I have only an indistinct remembrance of that
explanation. I think he made use of those words because of the
impetuosity of Magdalen's feelings, which made her in a certain degree
forget the stupendous mystery which had been accomplished, and feel as
if what she then beheld was still mortal instead of a glorified body.
As for the words of Jesus, 'I am not yet ascended to my Father,' I was told
that their meaning was that he had not presented himself to his Father
since his Resurrection, to return him thanks for his victory over
death, and for the work of the redemption which he had accomplished. He
wished her to infer from these words, that the first-fruits of joy
belong to God, and that she ought to reflect and return thanks to him
for the accomplishment of the glorious mystery of the redemption, and
for the victory which he had gained over death; and if she had kissed
his feet as she used before the Passion, she would have thought of