Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen

Saints John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalene, by Neapolitan Follower of Giotto.1335-45, © Metropolitan Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 22 July 2023
John 20:1-2,11-18

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she said 'and we don't know where they have put him.'

Meanwhile Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away' she replied 'and I don't know where they have put him.' As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him.

Jesus said, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?'

Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.'

Jesus said, 'Mary!' She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' - which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'

So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.

Reflection on the painting

We celebrate the Feast today of Saint Mary Magdalene. In our Church tradition, including in the arts, Mary Magdalene has generally been portrayed as the repentant sinner. This is largely due to her being mistakenly identified with the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and dried them with her hair. There is no evidence to suggest in the gospels that she was any more a sinner than the other disciples of Jesus.

In fact, one of the titles of Mary Magdalene in the early church is 'Apostle to the Apostles'. That title is based on today's Gospel reading. Mary Magdalene is first person to whom the risen Lord appears. She is also the first person to proclaim the gospel of Easter, and she does so to the disciples of Jesus. But before she made that outer, geographical, journey of bringing the gospel to others, today's gospel reading suggests that she first had to undergo an inner journey. She begins still in the darkness of Good Friday. Her heartfelt devotion to Jesus left her outside the tomb weeping tears of loss when she discovered that the body of Jesus was not there. However, the Lord came seeking her and found her when he called her by her name, 'Mary'.

We all go through this inner journey during our lifetime where we seek the Lord, but we don't always hear him call us by name. Mary, however, did hear Jesus' voice loud and clear. We can equally hear his voice in our prayers. The 14th-century Italian painting by a follower of Giotto shows Mary Magdalene in a prayerful pose. This painting, together with a panel portraying the Virgin and the Dead Christ (which is in the National Gallery, London), originally formed a diptych (two panels hinged together that could be opened and closed). The figures of John and Mary are thus looking at the panel which would have been on the left, lamenting the dead body of Jesus.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-20-1-2-11-18-2023/