Mary Mag | Episode 11

Mary Magdalene is one of those people that is a lot is said about, but not necessarily a lot is known about.  That’s part of the problem of studying things of ancient history.  They did not write everything down.  Mary and the female followers of Jesus did not have blogs or social media accounts to take us with them.  (Wouldn’t that have been great if they had?  I would be a subscriber to all their offerings if I could.) Therefore, there is a lot of room for details to be made up.  

 

This is what we know about Mary Magdalene:  Jesus cast seven demons from her, she was a follower of Jesus throughout his Galilean ministry, she was an eyewitness to the crucifixion, death, burial, empty tomb, and resurrected Jesus.  That’s it.  Now this is nothing to sneeze at.  It’s a small bit, but quality is better than quantity.    

 

John 20: 10-18 is such a moving passage to me.  Mary is looking for Jesus and is overcome that he is not in the tomb.  She is so emotional that she doesn’t recognize the person that asks her why she is upset is Jesus.  She mistakes him for the gardener.  You know how he gets her full attention?  He says her name.  Mary.  That is all it took for her to snap back into focus.  

 

Mary.

 

Sometimes if I could just hear Jesus say my name, I would know that everything was going to be ok.  Why don’t I hear him?  Does he know my name?  Is he aware of what I am going through?  Does he even know I exist?  

 

I don’t hear him because I am not listening.  It is not a lack of interest on his part.  It is a lack of mine.

 

Can you hear Jesus?