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July 22, 2009
> 12:59 PM
she of magdala > reposted A few years ago, in 2005, I was thinking about she who's feast day is today, and wrote a significant post on these thoughts. I think it's worth reposting today. The premise comes from the concern some have that somehow leaders in the Church or others made up the whole "she was a prostitute" thing in order to denigrate her character because she was a woman, blah, blah, blah. OK, I'll let my former words, and still my current thoughts, speak about this.  St. Mary Magdalene. I know it's not her feast day or anything, at least not that I know of. I was just thinking of her. I probably heard something on a show I saw on Discovery or somewhere, something like that. I have often thought this and have rarely said it. Sooo, what's the big damn deal if she was a prostitute? Seriously. If indeed, she was a prostitute and then answered a call to follow Christ, knew Him, learned from him, and then was a part of making Him known - so what. Is that a bad thing? Well, it's a thing, for sure. It may even be a good thing.Here's what I mean: If there was this woman named Mary from Magdala and this woman was a prostitute for whatever reason - if that is so and this woman encountered God in the flesh, Jesus the Christ and was changed by the Life she encountered in Him, then we should glorify God. Does this make me think less of Mary? No. I said no. It doesn't at all. I don't even understand that. I don't understand where that information about her past (if it was so) would make anyone feel that she was dirty or unworthy or anything of the sort - any more than the rest of us. Paul was effectively a murderer of Christians for God's sake and he announced that to be true. What is there in this alleged prostitution conspiracy that could harm Mary at all compared to that? Nothing. It's ridiculous. It would seem to me that anyone espousing such a theory is the person who has something against prostitutes, who would for some reason feel a woman "disqualified" for whatever for having been one. I'm not sure but I think there are numerous churches named after this sanctified former prostitute. I'm pretty sure people all over the world venerate her and pray asking for her intercession. Why? Because she was a notorious follower of Jesus - because she was committed and stayed with Him when others fled in fear - because of her great faith. Perhaps her escape from that life through Christ has caused a greater harvest of gratitude and thanksgiving in the world than if it had been some otherwise "upright" woman in not so much need of radical salvation. Unless of course you want to make some kind of case that it's just fine and dandy to continue to be a prostitute - that this is a legitimate life-choice for someone and that there is no need of "salvation" for such a person. I don't think you want to do that. But that's no different than any other fallen state of any other person whom Jesus came to Love and raise up into full and true humanity. So, let's stop trying to make big deals where no deals need be made. I couldn't care less if Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Nobody said she was turning tricks out of the upper room. Crazy. Mary is you. Mary is me. We all might as well have been prostitutes or murderers. It doesn't matter. And if it does matter, it matters because of the great Love and Power of God that came to bring us back to life anyway - despite our unworthiness. Pray for us Mary of Magdala, that we may answer the call as well as you did. technorati tags > mary magdalene, prostitution, davinci code, theology, church Labels: christian life, saints, theology 0 Comments:| permalink | e-mail me | 
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