Fascinating Mary
Today is the feast day for Mary Magdalene, a woman whose historical life may be much more interesting than the life she lived.
You could say that a form of cult has risen up around her. Some believe her relationship with Jesus was of a special disciple, one who connected with him and understood him in a way others couldn't.
Some have taken that further, intimating that their relationship was physical, intimate and perhaps they had married.
What is clear is her devotion to him.
But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ - Mark 15:6-7
In today's reading, Jesus has been in the tomb for three days, and now it is time for Mary and the mother of James and Salome, also a Mary, to come to anoint the body with spices.
It was the job of the women to tend to the dead. It was part of their special ministry, leaving the men pure so they could go to the Temple without having to be purified all over again.
Death was a woman's job, so it is not unusual for the women to go alone.
But usually the stone is small, easy to roll aside, for the entrance to most tombs is narrow and small like the entrance to a dog house. It is not difficult for anyone to lift the round stone which is fitted in a groove, and roll it over the hump that acts as a buffer, locking it in place.
But this tomb may have been large, possibly large enough for someone to enter upright. The stone would have been too big for these women to budge.
Mark sets up the story well. We know something about Joseph of Arimathea who donated the tomb, and who went to Pilate to ask for the body.
We know that Joseph wrapped the body in linen and that the two Marys knew where the body was laid.
But Mark doesn't make any reference to the special relationship Mary had with Jesus. It isn't important.
Mary's actions, her devotion, her duty are all that matter.
We are the ones who look for something else.
Why is that? Is it so hard for us to believe that women and men can share a passion for their faith and for God and not have something else going on between them?
Many will think me naive for suggesting that Mary and Jesus were not intimate and that's their choice. I just think it is harmful to suggest the opposite, not that we humans aren't subject to intimacy, but that it taints the ministry of men and women working together.
Our church ordains women and men. In fact, there are more women ordained to the priesthood and many more to the diaconate in our diocese than men. We don't paint anyone with a broad brush.
So, what's all this fuss about Mary?
It is no secret that women played a major role in spreading the Good News, and in supporting the growth of the early church. Women risked their lives to support the church with their hospitality and financial support.
Women merchants gave money as well as a place to meet and stay for traveling preachers.
But it is much more enticing and makes for better storytelling to insinuate they were sinful or corrupt or prostitutes.
We will probably always find something negative to say about the women of the early church, to counter their amazing acts of devotion and faithfulness.
We just have to make the story juicy and that means adding a layer of dirt to the truth, whatever that truth might be.
In the end, though, we wouldn't have a faith so strong without the women. If you doubt that, just give a man a task to do without having a woman there to guide, manage, bug and push him, and see how far he gets.
More to come...
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