St. Mary Magdalene – “Apostle of the Apostles”

On July 22, we celebrate and honor the life of Mary Magdalene as St. Mary Magdalene. Among all women mentioned in the New Testament, after Mary the Theotokos, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene is the most-mentioned. It means that she has a unique place in the life of Jesus and his teaching, as well. However, for nearly 2,000 years in the Church history, the significance of St. Mary Magdalene had been undervalued – until 1969, when Pope Paul VI removed “penitent” status from Mary Magdalena and officially declared her as a disciple, and in 2016, when Pope Francis elevated her significance in the Liturgical Calendar from “memorial” to “feast”, proclaiming her as “apostle of the apostles”. Though she was the only disciple to be with Jesus both at the foot of the Cross and to be with risen Jesus by the empty tomb of his, the Church failed to do justice in honoring her until 2016 – until her status in the Liturgical Calendar was raised in par with other disciples.

So, why the Church had put “penitent” status on St. Mary Magdalene for so long – until 1969? And why even today, she has been identified as “prostitute forgiven by Jesus”?

Perhaps, a major reason behind this problem is that Mary Magdalene has been seen as a “prostitute” – though nowhere in the Bible says so.

St. Mary Magdalene has been misunderstood –  as Jesus himself was misunderstood by many during the period of his public ministry (i.e. John 8:12-59).

Perhaps, a major culprit of this problem is one of  the 40 homilies on the Gospel, Homiliae in evangelia, delivered by Pope St. Gregory in the late 6^th century. In his homily 33, which is based on Luke, 7:36-50, delivered in September, 592 AD, Pope Gregory said:

When I think of Mary’s repentance, I feel more like crying than saying something. Indeed, what heart, even if it were of stone, would not be moved by the example of penance that the tears of this sinner give us? She considered what she had done, and did not want to limit what she was going to do. Here she is introduced among the guests: she comes uninvited, and at the feast, she offers her tears [in show]. Learn what pain this woman is burning, she who does not blush to cry even in the middle of a feast.

The one that Luke calls a sinner, and that John names Mary (John 11: 2), we believe that she is that Mary of whom, according to Mark, the Lord has cast out seven demons (cf Mark 16: 9). And what are these seven demons, if not the universality of all vices? Since seven days suffice to embrace the whole of time, the number seven rightly represents universality. Mary had seven demons in her, for she was full of all vices. But now, having seen the stains that dishonored her, she ran to wash herself at the source of mercy, without blushing in the presence of the guests. So great was her shame inside that she could not see anything outside to blush.

In these words in his homily, Pope St. Gregory the Great identified the sinful woman, who came to Simon’s house, while Jesus was there, and washed his feet and was forgiven for her sins were forgiven, assured of her salvation for her faith in Luke 7:36-50, as “Mary” – though Luke did not give any particular name to this sinful woman. Furthermore, Gregory indicates that this “Mary” is Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus in Bethany, who anointed Jesus, before he entered Jerusalem to enter his passion (John 12:1-11). And he specifically identified this Mary as Mary Magdalene mentioned in Mark 16:9, which states: When he had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

So, it was Pope St. Gregory the Great to have identified the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 as Mary Magdalene. But, neither Luke nor Pope Gregory indicated this sinful woman who sought out Jesus and washed his feet at Simon’s house was a prostitute. What Luke identified Mary Magdalene is neither a sinful woman nor a prostitute. He described Mary Magdalene as: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Luke 8:2).

So, what we know about who Mary Magdalene was, based on the Gospel, is that she is the woman, whom Jesus had driven out seven demons.

What really matters to us about St. Mary Magdalene is how her life has been transformed by Jesus, as well as, her faith, rooted in her love for Jesus, as our model in faith. And the Scripture Readings to honor her on her feast day (Song of Songs 3:1-4b or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; John 20:1-2, 11-18) gives a reason why St. Mary Magdalene is “apostle of the apostle”, as Pope Francis has declared in 2016, whom we should strive to be like her.

It is obvious that Mary Magdalene loved Jesus. Some misunderstand that her love for Jesus was romantic. But, the love of Mary Magdalene for Jesus transcends romantic kind of love, which is more like mere infatuation, but deeply affectionate enough to have moved her love to the level of agape. Perhaps, the way Pope Benedict XVI reflected how eros can lead to agape in his encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.

Affectionate aspect of love, eros, is not to be confused with mere sensual love. Therefore, we should not eroticize Mary Magdalene’s eros toward Jesus.

Passages from Song of Songs 3:1-4b for the First Reading reflects the eros of Mary Magdalene for Jesus so beautifully and even poetically. And this is what drove her to the tomb of Jesus, as described in the Gospel Reading, John 20:1-2, 11-18.

According to John, Mary Magdalene was alone, in the predawn time, while it was still dark, to come to the tomb of Jesus. Apparently, she had had restless nights since his death and burial, as reflected in Song of Songs 3. It was so difficult for her to just lay herself in bed at night, as her heart was full of her thoughts and feelings toward Jesus, whom she loved. Perhaps, she thought that her restlessness would be palliated if she had gotten herself closer to where his corpse had been laid. And she just could not wait until the sun rises and everyone else would wake up.

This is eros per excellence in Mary Magdalene. So, it was this eros that mobilized her to Jesus’ tomb – though what was unbeknownst to her was that Jesus was no longer laid in the tomb.

So Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus. And what she found there was that the tomb was opened and empty – having no corpse of Jesus.  She came to the tomb of Jesus as her eros drove her to seek the one her soul loves, but she did not find him, as reflected in Song of Songs 3:2, and as described in John 20:1.

Imagine how Mary Magdalene had felt to have found that Jesus’ tomb was empty.

So, her eros made her run to report this to Peter and John, saying, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him!”(John 20:2).

Peter and John raced to the tomb, upon Mary Magdalene’s report, inspected the empty tomb, and left (John 20:3-10). But, Mary Magdalene remained outside the tomb, instead of returning home with Peter and John (John 20:11a). Something must have kept her there. And it is her agape for Jesus, preceded by her eros for him. Because it was agape, she was able to bear her grief (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:7), weeping for whom her soul loves, Jesus. But, her agape did not just keep her weeping but prompted her to bend her over into the tomb (John 20:11b). She really cared about Jesus. And as she bent over, she saw two angels, one at where Jesus’ head was, and the other at where his feet were, as to guard his body (John 20:12). Then, they asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”, and she replied, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”(John 20:13), repeating basically what she said to Peter and John (John 20:2).

And then, risen Jesus was standing by Mary Magdalene, but she did not recognize him when she turned and saw him (John 20:14).

Risen Jesus asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?”, and Mary Magdalene replied, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him”(John 20:15).

Then, risen Jesus simply called her name, “Mary!”, and Mary Magdalene immediately replied, “Rabbouni!”(teacher) (John 20:16). And, she must have tried to touch his risen and living body. But, risen Jesus indicated to her that it was not time for her that but to do her mission. So, he said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). So, she went around the other disciples and announced the Good News of the Resurrection of the Lord, saying, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18), as mobilized by her eros , as well as, her agape, in action (cf. John 14:15, 21, 23).

And the above interactions between risen Jesus and Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-18) seem to be a reflection of Song of Songs 3:3-4a.

Mary Magdalene’s soul loves Jesus, as reflected in Song of Songs 3:1-4a. And this is also sung through the Responsorial Psalm (63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9), with its refrain, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God”.

So, Mary Magdalene sought her beloved Jesus to where his corpse was once laid. Instead of seeing his corpse for some consolation, she saw risen Jesus. Her grief was turned into joy. But, Peter and John, who did not stay, missed this joyful encounter with risen Jesus in the morning of the day of the Resurrection. Only Mary Magdalene to have this privilege, according to John.

What about the second option for the First Reading (2 Corinthians 5:14-17) and how does this relate to honoring Mary Magdalene’s life on her feast day?

This reading option reflects why Pope Paul VI removed “penitent” status from her to proclaim her as “disciple” in 1969 and why Pope Francis proclaimed her as “apostle of the apostles” to elevate her status in the Liturgical Calendar from “memorial” to “feast”. Basically, this reading described how Mary Magdalene’s life has been transformed through her encounter with Jesus. So, it is helpful to read 2 Corinthians 5:14-17, in connection to Mark 16:9, as well as, Luke 8:2. To be more specific, it is about how the love of Jesus impacted the life of Mary Magdalene, and how much Jesus loves her.

Perhaps, when her life had been plagued with and tormented by seven demons, Mary Magdalene was pretty much spiritually dead. She did not have eros in her. Then, her soul was too cold to even feel for God’s love. Her soul was dying, as seven demons were controlling her. And, it was agape of Jesus for her to have driven these demons (cf. Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2) out and impelled her to be convicted with his agape, to do his will, and to live as a new creation in him. Then, why did she need to weep? Why she had to be laden with the weight of grief?

Mary Magdalene must have felt the immeasurable weight of Jesus’ agape for her, which was proven at the Cross, as the joyful eros to drive her into her action of agape for him, to do his will, as “apostle of the apostles”.

Though neither the Acts of the Apostles nor Epistles in the New Testament mention her, Mary Magdalene was made into a new creation in Jesus, thus, made into “apostle of the apostles”.

With our more accurate recognition of this “apostle of the apostles”, assisted by the Word in the Scripture Readings for her feast day (Song of Songs 3:1-4b or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; John 20:1-2, 11-18), we reflect how we, too, can be transformed into new creation in Christ, impelled by his agape, so that our eros is empowered by the Holy Spirit into our actions of agape, in doing the will of Christ on our respective apostolic lives. But, first, we must seek Christ first and his Kingdom (Mark 6:33; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:11), recognizing how thirsty our souls are for him (Song of Songs 3:1-4a) to let our eros turn into agape. For this, our relation to Christ is to be like the one that Mary Magdalene enjoys with him. And let us not do injustice on her eros by eroticizing or sensualizing, portraying her as a prostitute, because we are not slave to carnal impulses, just as neither is she (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:15). As she is, we, too, have been made into new creations and live a new life in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17), as one body of Christ with many parts, reflecting many gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-28), striving for the greatest gifts to put into our apostolic missions (1 Corinthians 12:29-31).