The Apostle to the Apostle

Mary Magdalene! A name all Christians as well as people of other religions and no religion know. Throughout religious history Mary has been described in many ways, some not particularly flattering. She has been conflated by bishops, theologians and others with other women found in scripture which has certainly led to some of the confusion as to who she really was. At times she was thought to be the woman who washed Jesus feet with expensive oil and dried it with her hair, and with Mary of Bethany who sat at Jesus’ feet. She is depicted in Scripture as the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven devils, which may have lead to her description as a prostitute and may explain her devotion to him

Mary Magdalene, whose Feast Day was July 22, is mentioned by name twelve times in the Gospels, most notably, John 20:11-18 in which she is recorded as having witnessed his crucifixion and burial and as the first person to witness the Risen Jesus. After finally recognizing Jesus, when he calls her by name, Mary! She is told by Him to, “Go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Acting on Jesus’ command, Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’ and she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Mary Magdalene, whatever else she did in her life, became the first to proclaim the Good News of the Resurrected Christ, the first Preacher of Resurrection to a world that truly needed to hear that Good News, and move from death to life. All of us who proclaim the Good News of the resurrected Jesus are following in Mary’s footsteps. As I read the Epistles of Paul, and of Timothy and Titus (which were likely written by followers of the Apostle Paul after his death), and see the prohibitions against women asking questions in worship or teaching men (1 Cor. 14:34; 1Timothy 2:11-12; and others) I realize that these letters, which are used as arguments against women preaching, were written at a time and place in history in which women were more restricted in their public involvement than they are today.

I believe that Mary Magdalene’s story reminds us that God calls people, both male and female, to all kinds of ministry, including the preaching ministry. St. Peter proclaims in Acts 2:17, “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”

 St. Paul reminds us that we don’t control the Spirit, God does (1Cor. 12:4-11): “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. . . All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.”

Thanks be to God!