open to new life

"After Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with Jesus, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that Jesus was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it." [Mark 16:9-11]

Mark's account of the post-resurrection events is short and sweet - as is typical of his style. Thought to have received the story of Jesus' life and ministry from Peter (Mark is not one of the original twelve), Mark's account reflects Peter's customary directness. 

Today's text focuses on the experience of Mary Magdalene. She has been for many centuries an ambiguous figure in the Christian story. Probably due to a misreading promulgated by Pope Gregory the Great and others, she became a composite figure bringing together elements of her own story, aspects of the life of Mary of Bethany (she who sat at Jesus' feet and would anoint him in preparation for burial), and finally layered over with the scene where Jesus encounters the woman caught in adultery. Her story morphed into being the 'harlot who came good', even though there is no scriptural evidence that she had made her living on the streets. 

What we do know is that she deserves to be celebrated. The first to encounter the wonder of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene is the apostle to the apostles - the one sent to them to proclaim the good news. 

She is not believed. Women's experience has always been fraught, even in a faith community that celebrates the radical equality of the genders (Galatians 3:28). Having been so central to the Christian story in the beginning, we witness her being refashioned over the first five hundred years of our collective faith consciousness - relegated to the role of 'woman of ill repute', acknowledged with a nod and a wink.

We might think we have come along way since the patriarchy of the ancient world, but even now there is still along way to go - not just in the way that we relate to our women. The fact is, we will always have more to learn about God and God's ways, and about our tendency to turn the wonder of the gospel message into something that fits within our preset worldview. We are on an infinite journey into the life of the eternal God. We start where we are, but we don't remain there. That is what it means to be people of the resurrection - allowing ourselves to be led by grace and mercy into a way of being and seeing things that we can as yet scarcely comprehend.  

Happy Easter! 

Prayer for the day

God of all, may I encounter Jesus with awe and joy and live this good news in all areas of my life. May the witness of Mary Magdalene inspire me to live the joy of the gospel with everything I am, say and do. Amen