“IN HIS RESURRECTION CHRIST APPEARED FIRST
 St. Vincent Ferrer was born in Valencia, Spain in 1350. Dominican Vincent, theologian, peacemaker, popular saint, and charismatic itinerant preacher proclaimed the Good News of Jesus throughout Western Europe. He supported his moving preaching with a life of poverty, prayer and penance. His moving preaching was confirmed by many sings. He died at Vannes, France in1419. His feast is celebrated on May 5.
Christ came forth from the tomb without opening it, just as he was born of the Virgin without harm to her virginity. Standing upon the sepulcher, Christ showed his glorious body with its wounds and scourging to all the holy patriarchs, who adored him on bended knee and said: “Glory to you, Lord, risen from the dead, and to the Father and the Holy Spirit.” This is the first point concerning the blessed resurrection of Jesus Christ which was accomplished on this day. The second is that it was manifested graciously and in a special manner to the Virgin Mary. It is the conclusion of numerous theologians that Christ in his resurrection appeared first to the Virgin Mary, his Mother. Ambrose says this expressly in his book On Virgins: “Mary saw the resurrection of Christ and was the first to see it.” The evangelists, however, make no effort here to present indisputable witnesses, because the testimony of a mother on behalf of her Son might not be given credence. But we are compelled to believe that he appeared first to Mary for three reasons.
First, on account of a divine command. Because in the passion of her Son Mary was to suffer distress more than all others, Christ promised his mother as a special privilege that she would give birth without pain and in a manner contrary to the general course of nature. Likewise he promised that in her death she would not experience the sufferings of this life. As Bishop Albert says, “Death is the culmination of as things terrible, for all at once the soul is completely uprooted, like a tree.” But all the sufferings of childbirth and death came upon her at the passion of her Son. Since Scripture said honor your father and do not disregard your mother’s groans and since Christ observed perfectly the law about honoring one’s parents, it follows that he appeared first to his mother who suffered distress more than all others.
Second, on account of her meritorious faith. It is held as certain and demonstrated clearly enough in the text that at the time of Christ’s passion all the apostles and disciples completely lost the Christian faith. Some doubted whether he was the true God and Messiah, although all considered him to be a very holy prophet. Only the Virgin Mary believed without wavering on that Holy Saturday, and so it was granted that an office in her honor should be celebrated on Saturdays in the Church of God. Since Scripture says the Lord appears to those who have faith in him, it seems that the reward for her faith was that he should appear to her first.
  Third, on account of her great love. It is certain that never has a mother so loved her son as the Virgin Mary loved Christ. What Christ himself has said shall take place: Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.
For these three reasons it is obvious that Christ first appeared to the Virgin Mother, although the holy evangelists do not mention this explicitly.