St. Christopher Ladies Guild Woman of the Month

St. Mary Magdalene

We have celebrated Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, and Holy Week and Easter approach. There is no better companion for our continued journey than Saint Mary Magdalene. Mary was a Jewish woman from Magdala, a fishing town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. She is mentioned by name no less than a dozen times throughout the four Gospels as a supporter and disciple of Jesus. Luke says, “Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household/ Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means” (Luke 8:1-3) Over the centuries much confusion has flourished about Mary Magdalene. She was labeled a prostitute during the Middle Ages, though there is simply no evidence of that in the scriptures. She has also been confused with Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha. New Testament scholar Richard Bauckham disputes this theory arguing that Mary was the most popular name for a Jewish female during Jesus’ time and that the two are clearly different women. What we do know from scripture is that Jesus healed Mary Magdalene of her afflictions and afterwards she became one of His closest followers.

Mary Magdalene courageously stood at the foot of the cross, when most of Jesus’ followers had left Him. She observed Jesus’ death and burial, becoming an important eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ passion. Her faithfulness did not end with Jesus’ death. Early on the first Easter morning, she and several other women traveled to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. Along the way, the women worried that they might not be able to roll away the stone at the mouth of the tomb. But this was not necessary, for the tomb was open and in the midst of her confusion and grief, Mary met the Risen Christ.  Mary Magdalene is the sole person noted in all four Gospels as testifying to Jesus’ resurrection, the news of which she shared with the apostles.  St. Thomas Aquinas thus describes Mary Magdalene as: “The Apostle to the Apostles.” This is a remarkable fact of our faith, given that the testimony of women was not deemed credible in first century Palestine. During these final weeks of Lent we ask Mary Magdalene to intercede for us; that we may draw near to Jesus, that we may enter into His Passion and accompany the suffering, and that we may faithfully testify to His Resurrection.  Pope Benedict said: “The story of Mary of Magdala reminds us all of a fundamental truth. A disciple of Christ is one who, in the experience of human weakness, has had the humility to ask for His help, has been healed by Him and has set out following closely after him, becoming a witness of the power of his merciful love that is stronger than sin and death.” Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

Sources consulted:

Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2006.

“St. Mary Magdalene” FaithND.edu

Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press, 2003.