Mary M Day

Today is the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene. I do like her and even put her in one of my short science fiction stories :) Of course there's not much about her in the NT but I find all I need to know in the passage in John where she goes out early in the morning to be near the body of the dead person she loves, despite the danger and the pointlessness.

She's been jerked around a bit in her portrayal, both by the Gnostics (as Jesus' inamorata) and also by Church tradition (as a prostitute). Even in my favorite Jesus movie (Jesus) she's inaccurately shown to be plying her dishonorable trade. Later in the film she says to Jesus that if she were a man, she'd be his most loyal disciple. He says to her in reply, Anyone who speaks my words is my disciple, and more recently, Mary M's reputation as the apostle to the apostles has been reinstated.

Here's a little about Mary from an article at American Catholic, St. Mary Magdalene: Redeeming Her Gospel Reputation .....

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[...] One thing on which we all might agree: The Church has not valued women enough, especially a woman whose greatest assignment was to tell the apostles the pivotal news that Jesus was alive. Her words, “I have seen the Lord,” are the first act of faith in the Resurrection.

Does it really matter all that much which biographical details we attach to a long-ago woman? In a word, yes. In the 21st century, as in centuries before, the Church is full of sinners. We all are sinners. It’s good and instructive to be convinced that Jesus loved sinners, because that’s our human history and weakness.

But we also need the example of sanctity. Women especially need the encouragement of a Gospel role model who exercised bravery and leadership in challenging circumstances.

Perpetuating demeaning and unflattering stories about Mary Magdalene “reminds women of what has been done generally in the Church and in the world,” says Elizabeth Johnson. And that has not always been honest or affirming. Why compound the challenge when Mary Magdalene can and should inspire women and men to be full, effective and dedicated witnesses to the gospel?

Mary herself may not have cared what we 21st-century Catholics think of her, so long as we believe her testimony to the Resurrection. Indeed, as Augustine said, she was “Equal to the Apostles,” the title by which she is honored in our “other lung,” as Pope John Paul II called the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Apostle has multiple meanings and most of them apply to Mary Magdalene with ease. She is one sent on a mission. She is an authoritative person sent out to preach the Gospel. She is first to advocate an important belief. Or to put those in other terms, she points the way as disciple, partner and evangelist. Preceding all of that, of course, she is an eyewitness to the wonders of Jesus among us ...

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