Who Was Mary Magdalene?

Who was Mary Magdalene?

“Isn’t the Catholic Church hiding the These texts suggested a physical intimacy truth about Mary Magdalene?” That was the between Mary and Jesus. The ‘Gospel of comment Rose heard at a nondenominational Thomas’ and ‘Gospel of Mary’ that are Gnostic prayer meeting in which the passage about the in their character, painted the portrait of Mary appearance of the risen Lord to Mary Magdalene as a strong and willful person who Magdalene was read. Some of the participants became a close and favorite follower of Jesus. seemed to agree with that point of view; Gnosticism that stressed salvation through self however they did not further discuss the subject knowledge was rejected as a heresy by the for fear of offending Catholics like Rose. She Christian faithful. As centuries went by the loved the Catholic Church and could not Gnostic heretical texts were discarded, and new conceive that there could be a cover-up of truth stories and legends about Mary began to by the Church. Later that day, Rose contacted circulate. In the 13th century a Dominican monk her close friend Donna who was the published ‘The Golden Legend’ according to Coordinator of the Confirmation Program at which Mary had fled to France after the death her countryside Catholic church. She too did of Jesus and her spirit continued to protect the not know much on the subject, but promised to Frenchmen. This legend had no basis get more information to Rose as early as whatsoever. In the 20th century the Women’s possible. Liberation Movement attempted to re-read the Before their scheduled meeting Rose Gnostic gospels and project Mary as a feminist went into the library and looked through a icon. In recent years the much-talked-about ‘Bible Dictionary.’ It gave her some novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’ of Dan Brown has information about the person of Mary made her into the bride of Jesus. According to Magdalene found in the Bible. Mary came the book she had children with him and she from the town of Magdala on the west shore of lived her final years in Provence, France. These the lake of Galilee. Jesus had expelled seven stories and legends explain the continued demons from her (Lk 8:2; Mk 16:9); according interest in Mary Magdalene. to Luke she, along with other women Many who oppose the Church’s ministered to the needs of Jesus (Lk 8:2). Mary position on different issues have found the old was a witness to Jesus’ crucifixion (Mt 27:56), Gnostic speculations attractive and have tried the burial (Mt 27:61) and the empty tomb (Mt to use the discredited heretical texts for their 20:1-10). An apparition of the risen Jesus to purposes. But where does the startling notion Mary Magdalene alone is related in Mk 16:9 that Mary was Jesus’ wife and that he had and Jn 20:1-18. It is clear from the Gospels that children with her come from? Not from the she had a passionate devotion for Jesus and sacred Scripture, Tradition or the teaching of accompanied him in his ministry. The the Church. These authorities are firm and traditional identification of Mary Magdalene as unanimous that Jesus never married or had the sinful woman of Lk 7:37-50 is deemed false children. None of the Gnostic gospels spoke of by most Bible scholars today. That sinful Mary as Jesus’ wife. woman’s name is not mentioned in the Gospel Rose and Donna had a good discussion of Luke and there is no basis for identifying her on the subject. They had become convinced with Mary Magdalene. that the Church had the deposit of truth. Donna The meeting with Donna brought more hastened to point out that Mary Magdalene was light on the subject for Rose. The late second a Saint in the Catholic Church and an ancient and third centuries had seen the writing of tradition held that she accompanied John the many books about Jesus and some of those apostle to Ephesus where she died. Her Gnostic writings created a more prominent role memory is celebrated in the Church on July 22. for Mary Magdalene than the four Gospels. Fr Xavier Thelakkatt