| July 23, 2007 ~ "That Woman" | | Print | |
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That Woman
by Deborah Beach Giordano Having seen the empty tomb and the burial cloths, Peter and the other disciple went away from that place. But Mary Magdalene remained behind, sobbing bitterly. Through her tears she stared into the tomb; and there she saw two radiant angels, sitting where the body of Jesus had been; one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying like that?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him." When she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you wailing like a lost child? Who are you looking for?" Thinking that he was the gardener, Mary said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where he is, and I will take him away." Then Jesus called her by name: "Mary!" In that instant she felt her hope reborn — and from her heart Mary cried, "My beloved teacher." Jesus said, "Don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ "
Mary Magdalene went forth and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. It’s That Woman again. Just when we think we’ve heard the last of her, she pops up again. This time it is in honor of her feast day, this past Sunday, when we celebrate Mary’s ministry in the service of her beloved teacher, Jesus. She’s different now from the woman I learned about in Sunday School — the image of the Magdalene which the Church proclaimed for centuries: The Great Sinner, the Harlot, the Bad Girl. Now we know better; modern scholarship and our own close reading of the text proves that it is a lie, a slander against the First Apostle. Yet that Other Woman still stands; there, in the shadows, enticingly, tempting us to believe ... to wonder ... even to hope... Recent books, articles, and myths have arisen "reclaiming" the Magdalene. Beyond her role as the First Proclaimer of the Good News, it is said that she and Jesus were married, and that their union produced one or more children. Talk about redemption! Mary Magdalene’s reputation has been restored in a major way: from prostitute to respectable married lady. That’s great. But I wonder .... Of course I want Mary’s role as Apostle to the Apostles to be recognized. And I want her to be honored for who she was and what she was — untainted by slurs based on her gender. No one has ever suggested that any of the male "forgiven sinners" of the bible were prostitutes! And yet I have to confess that sometimes I miss "the old Mary." It seems to me that the rush to "reclaim" the Magdalene has resulted in a sanitized version of a complex human person. Rather than a single woman who dared to follow an itinerant preacher, she is now safely married — or at least betrothed. Lost is the (dare I say it?) liberated woman whose faith caused her to set aside the social demands of her time in order to become a disciple of the Lord. But what if, unafraid of gossip, Maggie risked all to be with Jesus? Knowing her reputation would be ruined, that she would never be accepted as a wife of a "decent" man after her life on the Road, that her family would cast her out, still she followed her beloved Teacher. If this Jesus wasn’t who he appeared to be; if his healing miracles were a sham, if his message of God’s mercy and love wasn’t true, all that would be left for Maggie would be the life of a prostitute. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. If she is "in love" with Jesus in the flesh, the Magdalene’s commitment to Christ can be written off as mere ... well, "carnal desires." Her loyalty might be nothing more than a schoolgirl crush — and you know how powerful, but ultimately meaningless, puppy love is. But what if Maggie’s faithfulness was based on a deep devotion to God? What if she followed this man Jesus because his preaching reflected her own inner knowing? What if she dared to trust his description of a Heavenly Father who seeks after us, who forgives us, and loves us utterly? If this Jesus wasn’t what he seemed; if he was a mere magician: a trickster, a deceiver; if his message was a lie, all that would be left for Maggie was death. If not the eternal life, then eternal death. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. And what if the Magdalene really had been a "bad girl"? The gospels of Mark and Luke both report that Christ cast seven demons out of her (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). That’s quite a few devils. But — let’s pause for a moment here, people — sexuality isn’t the only sin to which women are inclined. I don’t think it is even the sin to which we are most inclined. Besides, that large a number of demons surely indicates some variety. Maybe Maggie had lived a life of sin, perhaps she was a wealthy woman who had abused her servants, exploited the poor, or failed to care for the sick. Perhaps her heart had been filled with hatred and envy. She might have been an adulteress, a prostitute, a murderer. She may have been consumed by fear or despair. All we know for certain is that Jesus accepted her as one of his disciples. All we know for certain is the her testimony of faith. Mary Magdalene stood in solidarity with her Lord while he suffered on the cross. She dared to claim his body for a decent burial — the body of an executed Enemy of the State. She risked imprisonment and death for preaching His revolutionary Gospel. That’s real faith. What if Mary Magdalene really was "a sinner" — no better than the rest of us? What if she was a woman who had "fallen" into temptation: if she had made mistakes, had even intentionally done wrong? And what if, despite these failings — or perhaps because of them — she became the greatest of the apostles? That would mean that any one of us can do what she did. If our dear Maggie was a real sinner then we — no matter what our background, our history, or condition — can be as faithful to Christ, as constant in our love, as powerful in our proclamation of His Gospel, as she was. That’s real faith. Virtual hugs and real-time blessings, Deborah +
+
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself?
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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~ You are welcome to forward this to others, please credit the author. ~
That Woman
by Deborah Beach Giordano Having seen the empty tomb and the burial cloths, Peter and the other disciple went away from that place. But Mary Magdalene remained behind, sobbing bitterly. Through her tears she stared into the tomb; and there she saw two radiant angels, sitting where the body of Jesus had been; one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying like that?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him." When she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you wailing like a lost child? Who are you looking for?" Thinking that he was the gardener, Mary said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where he is, and I will take him away." Then Jesus called her by name: "Mary!" In that instant she felt her hope reborn — and from her heart Mary cried, "My beloved teacher." Jesus said, "Don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ "
Mary Magdalene went forth and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. It’s That Woman again. Just when we think we’ve heard the last of her, she pops up again. This time it is in honor of her feast day, this past Sunday, when we celebrate Mary’s ministry in the service of her beloved teacher, Jesus. She’s different now from the woman I learned about in Sunday School — the image of the Magdalene which the Church proclaimed for centuries: The Great Sinner, the Harlot, the Bad Girl. Now we know better; modern scholarship and our own close reading of the text proves that it is a lie, a slander against the First Apostle. Yet that Other Woman still stands; there, in the shadows, enticingly, tempting us to believe ... to wonder ... even to hope... Recent books, articles, and myths have arisen "reclaiming" the Magdalene. Beyond her role as the First Proclaimer of the Good News, it is said that she and Jesus were married, and that their union produced one or more children. Talk about redemption! Mary Magdalene’s reputation has been restored in a major way: from prostitute to respectable married lady. That’s great. But I wonder .... Of course I want Mary’s role as Apostle to the Apostles to be recognized. And I want her to be honored for who she was and what she was — untainted by slurs based on her gender. No one has ever suggested that any of the male "forgiven sinners" of the bible were prostitutes! And yet I have to confess that sometimes I miss "the old Mary." It seems to me that the rush to "reclaim" the Magdalene has resulted in a sanitized version of a complex human person. Rather than a single woman who dared to follow an itinerant preacher, she is now safely married — or at least betrothed. Lost is the (dare I say it?) liberated woman whose faith caused her to set aside the social demands of her time in order to become a disciple of the Lord. But what if, unafraid of gossip, Maggie risked all to be with Jesus? Knowing her reputation would be ruined, that she would never be accepted as a wife of a "decent" man after her life on the Road, that her family would cast her out, still she followed her beloved Teacher. If this Jesus wasn’t who he appeared to be; if his healing miracles were a sham, if his message of God’s mercy and love wasn’t true, all that would be left for Maggie would be the life of a prostitute. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. If she is "in love" with Jesus in the flesh, the Magdalene’s commitment to Christ can be written off as mere ... well, "carnal desires." Her loyalty might be nothing more than a schoolgirl crush — and you know how powerful, but ultimately meaningless, puppy love is. But what if Maggie’s faithfulness was based on a deep devotion to God? What if she followed this man Jesus because his preaching reflected her own inner knowing? What if she dared to trust his description of a Heavenly Father who seeks after us, who forgives us, and loves us utterly? If this Jesus wasn’t what he seemed; if he was a mere magician: a trickster, a deceiver; if his message was a lie, all that would be left for Maggie was death. If not the eternal life, then eternal death. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. And what if the Magdalene really had been a "bad girl"? The gospels of Mark and Luke both report that Christ cast seven demons out of her (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). That’s quite a few devils. But — let’s pause for a moment here, people — sexuality isn’t the only sin to which women are inclined. I don’t think it is even the sin to which we are most inclined. Besides, that large a number of demons surely indicates some variety. Maybe Maggie had lived a life of sin, perhaps she was a wealthy woman who had abused her servants, exploited the poor, or failed to care for the sick. Perhaps her heart had been filled with hatred and envy. She might have been an adulteress, a prostitute, a murderer. She may have been consumed by fear or despair. All we know for certain is that Jesus accepted her as one of his disciples. All we know for certain is the her testimony of faith. Mary Magdalene stood in solidarity with her Lord while he suffered on the cross. She dared to claim his body for a decent burial — the body of an executed Enemy of the State. She risked imprisonment and death for preaching His revolutionary Gospel. That’s real faith. What if Mary Magdalene really was "a sinner" — no better than the rest of us? What if she was a woman who had "fallen" into temptation: if she had made mistakes, had even intentionally done wrong? And what if, despite these failings — or perhaps because of them — she became the greatest of the apostles? That would mean that any one of us can do what she did. If our dear Maggie was a real sinner then we — no matter what our background, our history, or condition — can be as faithful to Christ, as constant in our love, as powerful in our proclamation of His Gospel, as she was. That’s real faith. Virtual hugs and real-time blessings, Deborah +
+
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself?
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
and select "This week's reflection"
~ You are welcome to forward this to others, please credit the author. ~
That Woman
by Deborah Beach Giordano Having seen the empty tomb and the burial cloths, Peter and the other disciple went away from that place. But Mary Magdalene remained behind, sobbing bitterly. Through her tears she stared into the tomb; and there she saw two radiant angels, sitting where the body of Jesus had been; one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying like that?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him." When she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you wailing like a lost child? Who are you looking for?" Thinking that he was the gardener, Mary said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where he is, and I will take him away." Then Jesus called her by name: "Mary!" In that instant she felt her hope reborn — and from her heart Mary cried, "My beloved teacher." Jesus said, "Don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ "
Mary Magdalene went forth and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. It’s That Woman again. Just when we think we’ve heard the last of her, she pops up again. This time it is in honor of her feast day, this past Sunday, when we celebrate Mary’s ministry in the service of her beloved teacher, Jesus. She’s different now from the woman I learned about in Sunday School — the image of the Magdalene which the Church proclaimed for centuries: The Great Sinner, the Harlot, the Bad Girl. Now we know better; modern scholarship and our own close reading of the text proves that it is a lie, a slander against the First Apostle. Yet that Other Woman still stands; there, in the shadows, enticingly, tempting us to believe ... to wonder ... even to hope... Recent books, articles, and myths have arisen "reclaiming" the Magdalene. Beyond her role as the First Proclaimer of the Good News, it is said that she and Jesus were married, and that their union produced one or more children. Talk about redemption! Mary Magdalene’s reputation has been restored in a major way: from prostitute to respectable married lady. That’s great. But I wonder .... Of course I want Mary’s role as Apostle to the Apostles to be recognized. And I want her to be honored for who she was and what she was — untainted by slurs based on her gender. No one has ever suggested that any of the male "forgiven sinners" of the bible were prostitutes! And yet I have to confess that sometimes I miss "the old Mary." It seems to me that the rush to "reclaim" the Magdalene has resulted in a sanitized version of a complex human person. Rather than a single woman who dared to follow an itinerant preacher, she is now safely married — or at least betrothed. Lost is the (dare I say it?) liberated woman whose faith caused her to set aside the social demands of her time in order to become a disciple of the Lord. But what if, unafraid of gossip, Maggie risked all to be with Jesus? Knowing her reputation would be ruined, that she would never be accepted as a wife of a "decent" man after her life on the Road, that her family would cast her out, still she followed her beloved Teacher. If this Jesus wasn’t who he appeared to be; if his healing miracles were a sham, if his message of God’s mercy and love wasn’t true, all that would be left for Maggie would be the life of a prostitute. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. If she is "in love" with Jesus in the flesh, the Magdalene’s commitment to Christ can be written off as mere ... well, "carnal desires." Her loyalty might be nothing more than a schoolgirl crush — and you know how powerful, but ultimately meaningless, puppy love is. But what if Maggie’s faithfulness was based on a deep devotion to God? What if she followed this man Jesus because his preaching reflected her own inner knowing? What if she dared to trust his description of a Heavenly Father who seeks after us, who forgives us, and loves us utterly? If this Jesus wasn’t what he seemed; if he was a mere magician: a trickster, a deceiver; if his message was a lie, all that would be left for Maggie was death. If not the eternal life, then eternal death. Truly she risked all that she had. That’s real faith. And what if the Magdalene really had been a "bad girl"? The gospels of Mark and Luke both report that Christ cast seven demons out of her (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). That’s quite a few devils. But — let’s pause for a moment here, people — sexuality isn’t the only sin to which women are inclined. I don’t think it is even the sin to which we are most inclined. Besides, that large a number of demons surely indicates some variety. Maybe Maggie had lived a life of sin, perhaps she was a wealthy woman who had abused her servants, exploited the poor, or failed to care for the sick. Perhaps her heart had been filled with hatred and envy. She might have been an adulteress, a prostitute, a murderer. She may have been consumed by fear or despair. All we know for certain is that Jesus accepted her as one of his disciples. All we know for certain is the her testimony of faith. Mary Magdalene stood in solidarity with her Lord while he suffered on the cross. She dared to claim his body for a decent burial — the body of an executed Enemy of the State. She risked imprisonment and death for preaching His revolutionary Gospel. That’s real faith. What if Mary Magdalene really was "a sinner" — no better than the rest of us? What if she was a woman who had "fallen" into temptation: if she had made mistakes, had even intentionally done wrong? And what if, despite these failings — or perhaps because of them — she became the greatest of the apostles? That would mean that any one of us can do what she did. If our dear Maggie was a real sinner then we — no matter what our background, our history, or condition — can be as faithful to Christ, as constant in our love, as powerful in our proclamation of His Gospel, as she was. That’s real faith. Virtual hugs and real-time blessings, Deborah +
+
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself?
This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that God is merciful, forgiving, and loving? What sins have you failed to forgive in yourself? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOIN OUR LIST: If you would like the weekly Reflection to be sent directly to your email address, you may join our list for free by emailing dbgiordano@comcast.net with the word "Reflections" in the subject or body of the email. The Reflections mailing list is NOT used for any other purpose.
UNSUBSCRIBE: If you no longer wish to receive the weekly Reflection, reply to this email with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject or body of the email. |
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