Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene
Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, and for good reason! Or, rather, for at least three good reasons.
The first reason has to do with why Mary went to the tomb. On the face of it, it really doesn’t make much sense for her to go there. It’s over. Jesus is dead. The principalities and powers won. And, of course, the fact that she is the only person at the tomb—none of Jesus’ other followers were there—reinforces the point that it didn’t make any sense to go there. Perhaps she doesn’t even know why she is there. Maybe she just needs to be there—as if it’s not done, as if it’s not over, as if something remains. For whatever reason, she can’t give up on Jesus. She is a woman of profound faith.
When she arrives at the tomb, she is stunned to discover that the stone has been rolled away and that Jesus’ body is gone. It was horrible enough that they took Jesus’ life. Now they had taken his body too? I can’t imagine her distress. After all they had done to him, they could not even let his dead body rest in peace? She is in such distress that she barely takes notice of the two angels in the tomb who ask her why she is weeping. And she completely fails to recognize Jesus when she turns around to find him standing right in front of her.
And then he hails her: “Mary!” And she immediately recognizes him. This is the second reason to celebrate this feast day: as if Jesus’ resurrection were not amazing enough, he chose Mary Magdalene—a woman—to be his witness! Had he chosen one of the twelve disciples, that would have made sense, especially in those days. Instead, he chose her.
And the third reason. He doesn’t just choose her to be the witness to his resurrection. He also commands her to go tell his “brothers” what she has seen. She is to be the one to announce his resurrection and to carry his message—to men! And without hesitation, she does it. And, to their credit, they were able to hear it coming from a woman.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he made a point of healing, blessing, and embracing people who were ignored, silenced, or feared. Usually those were the people who found themselves on the bottom rungs of society whether because of disease, poverty, gender, or something else. And at this crucial moment when he makes visible the miracle of his resurrection—proof that the principalities and powers had not, in fact, won—he does it again. And in a very visible way.
On this wonderful feast day, we are called once again to remember this crucial component of Jesus’ ministry and his kingdom. It was always those thought to be at the bottom of any social or cultural hierarchy that Jesus chose to bless. To be truly faithful to him, may we find ways to do the same. Again and again.
- Sue Trollinger