The following is written by my friend Phillip Clark. I share it today at The Wild Reed with his permission.
Today the universal Church celebrates Mary Magdalene, a courageous woman who has been infamously maligned throughout the centuries. Mary of Magdala was one of Christ’s most devoted followers. John’s gospel describes Mary as the first to witness the resurrection and entrusted with sharing this joyous revelation to the other male disciples.
Mary has been honored as “apostle to the apostles” for her unique role of announcing the Good News. The Gospels of Mary, Philip, and Thomas are Gnostic texts that describe Mary as being a pivotal leader in the early Jesus movement, on par with, and often, eclipsing Christ’s male apostles – specifically Peter.
Gnostic gospels are works of Christian mysticism that emphasize the importance of cultivating spirituality within and promote an alternative, non-hierarchical vision of Christianity transcending patriarchy. These gospels were widely read until male bishops designated Gnosticism as heretical, in the name of “orthodoxy,” and excluded Gnostic materials from the books that comprise the Bible most Christians know today.
As the Catholic Church consolidated its temporal power, Pope Gregory I incorrectly labeled Mary Magdalene as a prostitute during a sermon in 591 CE. Only recently has biblical scholarship rehabilitated Mary of Magdala from being a repentant sinner to rightly being celebrated as a powerful leader, teacher, and apostle in the nascent Jesus movement.
Gnostic stories describe Mary Magdalene and Jesus as sharing an intimate bond, one that may have even been romantic. This narrative liberates Christianity from the limitations of navigating sexuality through patriarchal constraints.
Mary of Magdala reminds us of the foundational role women have always played in Christianity. There is no basis for prohibiting women’s ordination, on the grounds of Jesus only choosing male apostles, when he specifically charged Mary, calling her by name, with sharing the resurrection to the rest of his frightened male followers in the wake of the crucifixion.
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us, and be our guide in creating a Church that welcomes and cherishes women’s leadership in preaching the Risen One’s transformative message of love and reconciliation!
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Mary of Magdala
• Apostle to the Apostles
• Thoughts on The Da Vinci Code
• Thoughts on Ordination, Intellectual Dishonesty, and the Holy Spirit of which the Prophet Joel Speaks
• Tell Them, Mary
• The Model of Leadership Offered by Jesus: “More Like the Gardener Than the Owner of the Garden”
• A Prayer on the Feast of Mary Magdalene
For more of Phillip Clark’s writings at The Wild Reed, see
• The Magi as Archetypes of “Witchy Faith”
• Acknowledging Where We Are
• Quote of the Day – April 15, 2020
• Phillip Clark on the “Karmic Wake Up Call” of a Year Ago
• In the Wake of Trump’s “Catastrophic” Election, Phillip Clark on the Spiritual Truths That Will Carry Us Forward
• Heartening
Image: Linzy Arnott.
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