Today (July 22), the wider church celebrates Mary Magdalene, one of whom we children of God have not always honored and learned from, let alone celebrated as much as we could have over the generations. Instead, she has been vilified and her integrity compromised along the way, not just because of Da Vinci Code aftermaths, but numerous other instances as we humans attempted to add some extra reality television-like drama to individuals thousands of years ago. Regardless, today, the church celebrates Mary Magdalene, as well we should.
The Gospel text for her feast day (meaning a joyous occasion from the Latin festus…in case you’re interested in such things) is John 20:1-2, 11-18 (NRSVUE):
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
11 Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 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.
I still remember a conference speaker who pointed out something about our human behavior that carries over to the church. For instance, we tend to insist that one of the items we need to ensure are in full supply for funerals are the boxes of kleenexes. We’ll put them in pews and various spots outside the sanctuary doors. Granted, we could say that’s simply common courtesy, but sometimes it serves as a reminder that we human beings aren’t always comfortable with tears. It oftentimes makes onlookers uncomfortable, wanting to minimize the pain experienced for the one weeping. Or even the person weeping may not want to reveal too much vulnerability. But perhaps we need to continue to be more open to such vulnerability, to such pain openly expressed, to the tears in general. That is part of our ministry, after all.
But part of the Gospel story’s power is the response to Mary Magdalene. Neither the angels, nor Jesus, respond with our usual cultural go-to’s of “It’s all going to be okay.” or “Don’t cry.” And the “why are you weeping?” question doesn’t appear to be an inquisitive figuring out to reach a tear-ending solution. Instead, it’s almost as if the angels and Jesus are further joining Mary’s full-scale loving, compassionate, hope-yearning, worship-filled moment. And with the Risen Christ further embracing a vulnerable Mary Magdalene, Jesus does not find emptiness at all, but a powerful witness ready to be set out into the world to begin sharing the greatest hope that would be the foundation for worship for all ages to come. The weeper is not told to leave such emotions behind, but to only magnify them in sharing the Greatest News, “I have seen the Lord!” Mary sees life rise from death. Mary sees authentic compassion. Mary witnesses the God who will lift up someone that the world will not, and set her off to be the first Resurrection Gospel proclaimer; the holy domino effect that still continues to us and will forevermore. For Mary Magdalene, thanks be to God, indeed!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad
Image: “I Have Seen the Lord” (Paige Payne Creations)