7/22/2014 – St Mary Magdalene – John 20: 1-2, 11-18

       In John’s account of Christ’s resurrection, it is not one of the 12 apostles who arrives at the tomb first, but rather Mary Magdalene.  When she realizes that the stone has been removed from the tomb and that the tomb is empty, she runs off to alert Simon Peter and the Beloved Disciple.  From this account in the Gospel of John, some have referred to Mary Magdalene as the apostle to the apostles – quite an interesting description of her.  There is a lot of discussion in our modern Church about who Mary Magdalene is and who she isn’t.  Many scholars and believers are trying to go beyond the myth and the legends and the labels that have been put on Mary Magdalene throughout history to try to reclaim her as how she really was portrayed in Scripture.  In fact, if you go to the Barnes and Noble or Amazon websites, you will find many recent books about her with titles such as The Meaning of Mary Magdalene or Unveiling Mary Magdalene.  Though a traditional Catholic view saw her as a reformed prostitute, with “Magdalene houses” being established in her name to help women leave the profession of prostitution, there is much debate about how that perception perhaps is not the truth about Mary Magdalene’s identity.  Some scholars say it was Pope Gregory the Great who first fused the identity of Mary Magdalene with that of the promiscuous women with the alabaster jar in Luke’s Gospel.  Perhaps modern imagination and books like the Da Vinci Code do Mary Magdalene a further disservice in seeing her as Jesus’ wife or his love interest.  All of that discussion detracts from how Mary Magdalene is portrayed in today’s Gospel: as a faithful disciple of Christ, as one who believed and brought his message to others.  The Church sees Mary Magdalene as being a patron saint to converts to the faith and to those who contemplate the mysteries of God.  Texts from the era of the Early Church suggest that Mary Magdalene was very instrumental in preaching the message of Jesus Christ in the days after his resurrection and ascension into heaven.  May the faith, perseverance, and loyalty of the devoted disciple Mary Magdalene be an example to us on our own journey.