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I am encouraged and inspired when people offer homily suggestions of theme, focus, ideas, and experiences which show the life of the scriptures as a reality in the present. It’s a powerful sign that people are appreciating that the work of the homily is the work of the entire community of faith.
So I was especially happy yesterday to (along with the other priests of the Christchurch diocese) receive an email from scripture scholar and Sister of Mercy Kath Rushton, with some reflections for the upcoming Feast of Mary Magdalen (Monday 22 July).
Kath writes:
“At this time last year, as the Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene approached, I emailed you the passages where she is found in the four gospels and offered some points from biblical interpretation and aspects from early Christianity. Doing this turned out to be a great blessing for me because in preparation I was led to recent research on how she is presented in the gospels and was understood and named by early church theologians which was not included in what I emailed you.
“In Greek, she is named as: Maria ē Magdalenē which translates as: Mary the Tower. As some of you may know for several years I have written monthly reflections on Sunday gospel passages in Tui Motu InterIslands Informed by the recent research I uncovered a year ago, in the 2024 July edition I wrote a reflection entitled “Mary the Tower”
This reflection from Kath is inspiring. Click on the image below to read it, and you may like me meet the real Mary Magdalen for the first time.
Mary Magdalen, a towering witness.
A fascinating article – which may well prompt many questions about the place of women in the Church – in an excellent magazine. Tui Motu is well worth subscribing to.
I did a Parish based study of some kind years ago about gospel women Elizabeth Schrader was I think where we draw some of our reflection on Mary Magdelene. It was powerful and challenged all the traditional way we think of her. In fact, my own reflection makes me think that women leaders in the Church were becoming too powerful (in the power of the Holy spirit kind of power) that was behind relegating her to being a prostitute. We might want to consider that as the Church continues to exclude women from ordained ministry. Would be great if we started with a retelling of Mary’s story not as an all so run but in her rightful place.
Thank you so much for sharing this John, I’ve been working through Cynthia Borgeault’s book on Mary Magdelene, but this is far more succinct and readable! She certainly was a Tower both for Jesus and the Apostles, and continues for us today.. especially women in the Church!