“Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.” – Rumi

Click HERE to listen to the PODCAST version of Today’s Contemplation

Listen to my song “Mary Magdalene” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

My 4 albums and 2 books (Mercy Reigns & Listen to Your Heart) are available for purchase HERE. Also available on Amazon.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

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John 20:15-16

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.

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What drew Mary Magdalene to the tomb on Easter morning?

The Gospel of Mark states that Mary and other women came to the tomb to anoint Jesus.

If you look closely at the four gospels that were accepted by the patriarchal Church, you will find that Mary Magdalene was consistently present with Jesus – all the way to the cross and the tomb even though she gets no special attention.

When the men ran away, Mary Magdalene did not.

There were also “other women” whose names were not recorded.

Why do you think Mary Magdalene was constantly there?

Did she perhaps understand Jesus’ teaching about how letting go and losing your life would lead to finding your life?

Do you think, perhaps, she understood that Jesus was teaching us the path to transformation?

The male followers undoubtedly thought Jesus had been utterly defeated. They were off hiding while Magdalene was asserting her authority: “Tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”

Very curious.

There has been much new scholarship about Mary Magdalene over the last twenty years regarding the other gospels that were thrown-out as well as ancient bible manuscripts that show questionable alterations.

I’m not getting into that here. That’s up to you to pursue further.

The fact of the matter is: There is no doubt that Mary Magdalene was a huge part of the Jesus story.

In today’s scripture, she is the first person that the resurrected Jesus appears to and the first person to be sent to tell the good news.

How did such an integral person become insignificant in the unfolding of the institutional Church?

Not just insignificant: She actually was equated with a prostitute by a pope in the sixth century which tainted what little reputation she had until the Church finally nullified that position in 1969.

Eventually Pope Francis declared her the Apostle of the Apostles in 2016.

We don’t know for sure, but her name might not mean that she was from a city called Magdala, but that Magdalene was a nickname given to her by Jesus meaning “tower” – much like Peter was given a nickname meaning “rock”.

How might the institutional Church have developed differently if Mary Magdalene had been elevated and celebrated from the start?

Why did such an integral follower simply vanish?

There are many questions!

I really can’t explain my deep dedication to this movement, but I have found many others around the world who feel the same.

It feels like something new and life-giving is rising from the ashes.

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Listen to the song of the day “Mary Magdalene” by clicking HERE.

My 4 albums and 2 books (Mercy Reigns & Listen to Your Heart) are available for purchase HERE. Also available on Amazon.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!