Mary Magdalene: trusting and trusted

We could all do with a friend like Mary Magdalene.

There were plenty of people who felt happy, even honoured, to be seen with Jesus in the good times—when his fame was spreading like wildfire, and crowds jostled to get close to him—but few were prepared to stay with him through his darkest, most excruciating hours. Mary of Magdala, or Mary Magdalene, was one who did.

She was among Jesus’ most steadfast friends, her loyalty withstanding the heartbreak and humiliation of the cross and persisting even beyond the grave, into the dawn light of Easter Day, when the resurrected Jesus appeared to her and entrusted her with the most remarkable, most exciting news of all.

The Bible records that she is the first person to whom Jesus appears after his resurrection, and that the risen Christ instructs her to tell the apostles the Good News, a task that earns her the title ‘Apostle to the Apostles’.

Most biblical scholars agree it is unlikely the gospel writers would have made this up, given the status of women at the time. An invented account would not have hinged on the testimony of a woman if it wanted to be convincing.

But while each of the gospel accounts varies slightly, they all identify Mary Magdalene by name when describing her Easter morning encounter with Jesus. In the Gospel of John—the most distinct of the four accounts—Mary Magdalene first sees the empty tomb and reports back to Peter and the other disciples, who verify her story by visiting the tomb themselves. But while the apostles return home, Mary Magdalene stays by the tomb weeping. There, on her own, she encounters two angels, and then Jesus, whom she initially mistakes for the gardener. Once she recognises him, though, he commissions her to go tell the apostles.

While the apostles will go on to play an integral part in spreading the faith, Jesus grants Mary Magdalene the privilege of being the first witness to his resurrection. Significantly, he chooses to honour a woman who remained by the cross till the very end, and who supported and ministered to him through it all.

Mary Magdalene exemplifies the courage required to truly live out our faith. Staying with the pain, keeping our eyes on God, resisting the urge to run away, our hearts can be enlarged and opened to other possibilities.

Mary Magdalene’s loyalty and gratitude have a backstory. The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus delivered her from ‘seven demons’. While the Church has often associated Mary Magdalene with the ‘sinful woman’ in the Gospel of Luke who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and scented them with expensive perfume (7:36–50), many theologians now dispute this association. Nevertheless, her encounter with Jesus clearly brought transformation and liberation.

Mary Magdalene offers us several examples of what it means to live a life focused on God. For whatever reason, we may be given great crosses to bear, as with Mary Magdalene’s possession by demons. Yet the lifting of such a cross by God can imbue our lives with a deep gratitude and love, inspiring a greater focus on God and a stronger commitment to service.

Sometimes, though, our crosses inflict such intense pain and suffering that we are inclined to walk away or seek solace in the comforts of the world. By standing by the cross and accompanying Jesus through to the end of his life—despite the personal risk and painful intensity of the experience—Mary Magdalene exemplifies the courage required to truly live out our faith. Staying with the pain, keeping our eyes on God, resisting the urge to run away in fear or when things turn out differently from our expectations, our hearts can be enlarged and opened to other possibilities.

For this, we need a heart that persists in offering service to others. When Mary Magdalene, with the other women, brings spices to anoint the dead body of Jesus, she does not expect to see a resurrected Jesus. As she makes her way to the tomb, her heart is broken; she is deeply grieving the death of her dear friend and teacher. As a follower of Jesus, she might well be fearful for her own safety, and confused about how Jesus’ death could possibly be part of God’s plan. Yet she turns up at dawn, when common sense might have kept her away, to complete the ritual anointing of the body.

When Jesus appears to her, in Luke’s account, she mistakes him for the gardener until he calls her name. While our resurrected selves are likely to be greatly enhanced in appearance and unfamiliar to the human eye, our expectations can also affect what we see. Mary Magdalene was there to anoint the dead body of Jesus. She was further traumatised by her discovery that his body was missing, and was looking for answers. Not expecting to see Jesus alive, she initially failed to see him.

How many times have we prayed for something but with little expectation of being answered? When Jesus calls Mary’s name, it recentres her focus. Despite her rational expectations, she sees Jesus. It’s her heart that recognises him. We too need to invest time in getting to know God, so when God calls us by name, we hear and recognise the voice of the One who gazes on us with infinite love, and can respond.

Mary’s gratitude and great love for Jesus brings her to the tomb, a place of deep sorrow, when his other followers seek safety. Her intense grief keeps her at the tomb looking for answers when the others return home. Her trust in him encourages her to believe when others disbelieve. It makes her trustworthy enough to be entrusted with the Good News: that death has no power over Jesus and, in turn, no power over us.

When we keep our focus on God, trusting and resisting the urge to act in fear, the Good News of Christ can manifest in us and through us.

Mary Magdalene teaches us to love God, first and intensely, allowing the pain and crosses in our lives to prepare our hearts, making us ready to hear and recognise Jesus.

Jesus’s ministry was also about raising the lowly and disregarded of society. He chose fishermen, prostitutes and tax collectors, among others, to further his ministry. While women had little status in a patriarchal society, Jesus relied on them to support his ministry. Women were among his closest friends, and he was comforted in his final moments by women. Perhaps as a final mark of his regard for women, he gives Mary Magdalene and the other women at the tomb the task of spreading the Good News of the resurrection.

Through all this, Mary Magdalene keeps her eyes on God. When possessed by demons, she looks to God for a cure. Cured, she remains grateful and loyal, offering her service and support for his ministry. As Jesus hangs on the cross, apparently defeated, she remains there, refusing to desert him. When he is dead and buried, she continues to offer her service, travelling to the tomb to honour his body. Confronted with a missing body and risking the potential wrath of the Roman army, she remains by the tomb, looking for answers about her dear friend and teacher. And surprised by the risen Jesus, she responds joyfully, going where he sends her.

Mary Magdalene teaches us to love God, first and intensely, allowing the pain and crosses in our lives to prepare our hearts, making us ready to hear and recognise Jesus when he calls our name and sends us out on mission.