Week of July 22, 2002
Rosemary S.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. I. (In this gospel, the disciples came and saw the tomb was empty) (11-18) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, `I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
     John 20:1-2
     (See also Luke 24:1-12, Matthew 28:1-10, and Mark 16:1-8)

On the Liturgical Calendar, July 22 is dedicated to the Feast of Mary Magdalene, First Witness of the Resurrection. . Who is this woman? Some regard her as a sinner and a wicked woman. Surprisingly, there are many churches names in her honor, including two ELCA parishes. Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels as being among the women of Galilee who followed Jesus and his disciples, was present at his crucifixion and burial, and who went to the tomb on Easter Sunday to anoint his body. She was the first to see the risen Lord, and to announce his resurrection to the apostles. Accordingly, she is referred to in early Christian writings as 'the apostle to the apostles'.

Mary, or Miriam, was a common name of the day . Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany (sister of Martha and Lazarus) and the unnamed penitent woman who anointed Jesus' feet were identified as the same person by Pope Gregory, and therefore the Roman church, but scripture does not support this tradition. . Eastern tradition regards them as three separate persons. St. Ambrose and others preferred to leave the question undecided. Mary may have been born in Bethany, gone to Magdala to live for a while, and returned to Bethany at a later date. The name might have been taken from the braided locks she wore, which later made her the patron saint of hairdressers!. The Bible never explicitly says that Mary Magdalene was ever a prostitute at any point in her life. The confusion between Mary Magdalene and the unnamed prostitute comes from proximity; the story of Mary Magdalene came immediately after it in Luke 7. Mary Magdalene was the one from whom the seven deadly spirits had come out. In the first passage, sins of an unnamed woman were forgiven. In the latter, which specifically names Mary Magdalene, no mention of forgiveness is made, only curing.

The relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus is also subject of much speculation. Mary Magdalene is included in the list of women who were committed to minister to Jesus and the disciples. She had accumulated enough wealth to provide financially toward Jesus' ministry, They may (or may not) have had a romantic relationship. One researcher even suggests that they were married. Although this may seem shocking, since we believe that Christ was both true man and true God, one must consider the possibility. Another researcher puts forth a treatise that Mary Magdalene was the RBeloved DiscipleS spoken of in the Gospel of John and was actually the author of that book. Some authorities say that Mary traveled with John and Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Ephesus , but others claim she traveled through the Mediterranean to Southern France.

Here again is one of the stories in the Bible in which scripture and tradition become so interwoven that the facts are lost. What is true, according to scripture, is that Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus followers, she was with him at critical times of his life and death, and was the one to announce to his disciples that he had risen. The disciples looked into the darkness of the tomb and they saw the linen wrappings lying the on the floor and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head now sitting in dust. Empty. The tomb was empty and the disciples went home. Mary stayed behind weeping just outside the entrance to the tomb. Two angels spoke to her. She then saw Jesus, who also spoke to her. She assumed he was the gardener, and asked where they had taken the body of her Lord. She did not recognize him until he called her by name. Jesus appeared to Mary in the darkness of the tomb in her own time of darkness and fear just as he appears to us in the darkness and emptiness of our own sorrow. He calls us each by name and lets us know we are not alone.

Last week, at the Triennial Gathering for Women of the ELCA in Philadelphia, I was fortunate to lead two workshops entitled, 'Women of the Bible speak to Women of Today'. (Copies available upon request.) If we had an opportunity to speak with Mary Magdalene, what would her message be to us? What questions would we ask her? How can we share the good news that Mary told to the disciples?

Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and mid and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed of all our infirmities and know you in the power of his endless life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
(Traditional for the day)