Who is Mary Magdalene?

While I am a cradle Catholic, over the past few years I have found myself captivated by the practice of shamanism.  What draws me in is the emphasis on the spiritual connection with all the living—humans, plants, animals, the earth.  A few months ago I was out on retreat in the remote wilderness of Wisconsin to feel unified with all of creation once again.  To cleanse myself of all the negative energies I had been harboring, I scheduled a healing session with a shaman.  During his quest to restore the balance, he had a vision.  What he saw filled me with a mixture of awe, perplexity, and enlightenment.

In the vision, he said he saw me as a little girl, with a jaguar and owl hovering nearby—this gave me goosebumps because I did not tell him those were two of my power animals.  Off in the distance was the Archangel Michael. He is my fearless protector, which conceivably is the reason for him being the focal point of my tattoos.  There was also a woman by an altar gently observing me.  She did not speak; she just smiled and watched me frolic around.  The only part of the vision that mystified me was why the woman was there.

Perhaps her presence was to prompt my conscience that I am neglecting the feminine in my spiritual odyssey.  My Catholic formation was both rigid and oppressive.  I think the polarized portrayal of women in the Bible as either immaculate or passive, fallen, or anonymous has hindered my connection with the feminine in Christianity.  So many women in the Bible were not identified by name.  Mary was always referred to as The Queen of Heaven or the Virgin Mother of God during Mass, making her completely untouchable.  Then there was Mary Magdalene, who I was told was a prostitute—not the faithful disciple at the Crucifixion or the first to see the resurrected Jesus, but Mary Magdalene, the repentant prostitute.  In my lifetime that unwarranted image of her has been heavily refuted by scholars, although some members of the clergy like to pretend like they never received that memo (sigh). While I no longer believe that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, I still don’t know who she is.

The Resurrection, by Donald Jackson (2002)

So obviously, there is work for me to do.  To begin my re-education, I read an article by my wise and witty mentor, Br. Wil Theisen, OSB, entitled Illuminating the Message of Mary Magdalene.  He states that until very recently, Mary Magdalene has endured an identity crisis throughout the history of Christianity.  Not only was she labeled as a prostitute, but even in artwork that illustrates her pivotal moment of seeing the resurrected Jesus, she is seen as distanced from the Messiah.  She is often portrayed on her knees reaching out to Jesus, while Jesus is shown extending his arm out as if to say, “stay back.”  But since the narrative of Mary Magdalene has shifted from prostitute to prominent apostle, so has her portrayal in the visual arts.  Take for example Donald Jackson’s The Resurrection (2002).  In one of many contrasts to Medieval depictions, Mary Magdalene is shown standing in front of Jesus, ready to embrace him, and he is not discouraging her.  This portrayal is real to me.  Instead of shaming, I find it empowering.

Thankfully, there are more enlightened educational materials available for this generation than there was for mine about women in Christianity.  It is my hope that young women of today will not have to jump psychological and spiritual hurdles to find their connection to the feminine.  Because of my experience, I have fervently advocated for inclusive language, equality, and women’s ordination.  When it comes to the Christian narrative, a narrative that will shape the future reality for the many of the young, women have been unjustly stigmatized, diminished, or excluded.  What has been denied to Mary Magdalene and others we need to restore.

I believe for my own spiritual health I need to find out who Mary Magdalene was.  Her feast day will soon be upon us (July 22), and this will be the perfect opportunity for me begin an intentional path of discovery.  There are many resources available to help you and I honor this esteemed apostle, including what you will find on WOC’s website.  As I continue to nurture my feminine spirituality, I am intrigued as to what role that mystery woman will play in my next shamanic vision.  Maybe she will tell me her name; maybe she will reveal she is Mary Magdalene herself.

If you have resources on Mary Magdalene you would like us to know about, please share!