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The love story at the heart of Christian theology
THE MEANING OF MARY MAGDALENE: DISCOVERING THE WOMAN AT THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY
By Cynthia Bourgeault
Published by Shambhala Publications, $16.95
“Why France?” was the first chapter I turned to when I picked up Cynthia Bourgeault’s new treatment of Mary Magdalene. I was indulging a nearly forgotten girlhood fascination with medieval France, the land of troubadours and walled castle towns. I looked to see if my fairy-tale France was part of the story.
Bourgeault did not disappoint. She begins her serious study, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, in a fairy-tale setting: at the basilica of St. Mary Magdalene “high on an escarpment crowning the medieval walled city of Vezelay, France.” Vezelay, an important medieval pilgrimage site because it claimed to house the remains of Mary Magdalene, today houses the newly founded order “Fraternités Monastiques de Jerusalem.” It was this community’s Good Friday liturgy in 2005 that made Bourgeault reread scripture and see Mary Magdalene in a new way. She asks her readers to do the same.
Why France? Because, Bourgeault says, “while it cannot be proven that she actually did live in France, the conviction that she did so is an indelible part of the French cultural memory.” She sees the influence of Mary Magdalene in courtly love, in the reviled Cathars, the “monastic love mysticism” of Bernard of Clairvaux, Taizé chants, and Teilhard de Chardin’s vision of the sacred heart of Jesus as the driving force of cosmic evolution.
“The Penitent Mary Magdalene,” by Carlo Saraceni (1579-1620) (Newscom/AKG-images/Camera photo)The first third of the book can be read as a biography of Mary Magdalene. The author strings together Mary Magdalene’s appear- ances in the four canonical Gospels and in the Gnostic gospels of Thomas, Philip and Mary Magdalene -- working from a new translation of all three -- to create a coherent life story.
In this compressed form, it is striking how often Mary Magdalene appears in the canon. The four Gospels name her as witness to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. In Luke and Mark she is named as the woman healed of demonic possession. Bourgeault also contends that it was Mary Magdalene who anointed the feet of Jesus, a story found in all four canonical Gospels. Here Bourgeault enters speculation, but offers strong justifications. She then looks at what the Gnostic gospels can add to this story.
Treating the Gnostic sources as equally valid to complete Magdalene’s portrait, Bourgeault enters into unorthodox territory. I am not qualified to defend or attack her commentary, but I can say that her work makes sense of what would otherwise be disjointed fragments. She spends 40 pages retelling the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and filling in the gaps between the four dialogues of this text.
She sees three elements of the Gnostic gospels that are distinct from the canonical texts: First, “Jesus’ inner circle of disciples includes both men and women on an equal footing.” Second, Mary Magdalene is the “first among apostles” because she is the one who best understands Jesus’ message. Third, Mary Magdalene is in a special relationship with Jesus in a way that “appears to entail an erotic component.”
Who is Bourgeault? She is an Episcopal priest, a retreat leader, and author of seven books on centering prayer, chanting the psalms, and Christian spiritual life.
Although a hermit contemplative, she travels and lectures widely. She is associated with the Aspen Wisdom School in Colorado, the Contemplative Society in Victoria, British Columbia, the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research at St. John’s Abbey in Minnesota, and New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, Calif.
Bourgeault says that she wore many hats in writing this book. I found her voice changing not just from chapter to chapter but from paragraph to paragraph. To enter Mary Magdalene’s world, Bourgeault “relied in equal measure on scholarly study, contemplative prayer, and the lived experience of my own heart.” This last element speaks loudest in part three, where she expounds on the power of the romantic love relationship. Moving from scholarly citations to passionately held beliefs and lived convictions, her arguments are multifaceted, and difficult to summarize or contest. How can one argue with someone else’s experience of love?
She acknowledges that to the reader it may seem that she is making “wildly intuitive leaps.” And it does. Still, I think this work is well worth reading for the interesting speculations she raises. Some may seem exotic, others timeworn, but I think Bourgeault’s smorgasbord of ideas brings new elements to the Christian conversation.
Bourgeault has three goals in this book. First, “to repair the damage caused by a heavy-handedly patriarchal (and at times flat-out misogynist) ecclesiastical tradition and reclaim Mary Magdalene’s legitimate role as a teacher and apostle.”
Second, to examine the “emotionally charged question of a possible love relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.” She concludes that “such a relationship most likely did exist and is in fact at the heart of the Christian transformational path.” She sees this love as having a “healing and generative energy.”
Her third goal is to examine “how this healing has unfolded, and continues to unfold, in the Christian West through the largely unacknowledged infusions of Mary Magdalene’s presence.” Bourgeault wants to make the case that “the faithfulness of their two hearts resonating across time and space forms a particular kind of energy channel through which divine compassion pours itself forth as wisdom and creativity.”
The second and third parts of the book deal with Mary Magdalene’s role as the beloved of Jesus and Bourgeault’s conviction that Christianity must understand and champion a path of “conscious love.” She goes so far as to say that Jesus learned about abundant, self-emptying love through his relationship with Mary Magdalene. Bourgeault sees a love story at the heart of Christian theology, a story that calls for a “responsible revisioning of human sexuality and feminine wisdom.” It is the path of conscious love that is “the true progeny of Mary Magdalene and Jesus” a love that is “visionary, transformative, inclusive and ubiquitously creative.”
“The church,” she says, “is waiting in the garden for the encounter that will change our institutional hearts.”
[Maureen Daly, an editor for 10 years at Catholic News Service, works for the Baltimore archdiocese.]
Section:
I. Book Reviews
It seems logical and true
It seems logical and true that Mary Magdalene was beloved of Jesus. True too that she was a significant Apostle. I think as Bishop John Shelby Spong states, she was Mary Bethany and was married to Jesus. Cana was their wedding, their son, the child who ran at the arrest of Jesus, who was at the cross, this is your son, was their child. She anointed our Messiah at a community meal on the head too, book of Mark I think has Mary Bethany do this.
Mary Bethany was renamed the migdel-eider(spelling) the Tower of the Flock, the Queen of Heaven and is Mary Magdalene, migdel-eider.
Magdala is not a place but a title of honor, from the book of Micah, Old Testament. So Lazarus is brother in law of Jesus, and Martha, sister in law of Jesus. The town of Magdala is not an ancient town. So it did not exist in the time of Jesus. It refers to a title, Tower of the Flock.
100's of both monasteries and churches were named after Mary Magdalene the first centuries after the resurrection of Jesus. See Rex Weyler's 2008 book Jesus Sayings. He shares great information about this too. I do not know this lady's book. I do not know if she writes of any of this about Magdalene. However it is what I have learned of her as this is a fascinating subject and very important to the church.
The ruins of Magdala are
The ruins of Magdala are located on the north-west side of the Sea of Galilee, 5 Kilometers north of Tiberias. This was Mary Magdalene's village, today a town called Migdal. It was a prosperous fishing village at the time of Jesus and believed destroyed in the Roman war.
There is some controversy regarding the name of the village. Some say it is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew [chapter 15 - he disembarks there]. However most translations I consulted call the village Magadan. It is the location of a village named Magadan that is unknown.
I agree that more intense study of the role of Mary Magdalene holds a key to Jesus' meaning of Apostleship and Discipleship. Did Mary Magdalene amass such a strong following by the sixth century that Pope Gregory the Great decided to associate her with the unnamed woman from the seventh chapter of Luke who anoints Jesus? The sinner who is labeled as a prostitute? [This is the same pope who felt that menstruating women should not approach the altar or receive the Eucharist.] Was this an attempt to sully Mary's reputation and reduce her influence?
The study of theology is a fascinating one. But we must be careful to base conclusions on verifiable facts. Jesus was a human male. Because our sexuality plays a part in how all of us relate to others and to the world, it still does not necessarily follow that Jesus had a genital relationship with Mary Magdalene. I am sure that he loved her deeply and she him and she obviously played a much more significant role in Jesus' ministry than the Church is willing to allow. I find it far more compelling that Jesus considered Mary to be an equal among his followers than that she be his wife.
The Crusaders go to the Holy
The Crusaders go to the Holy Lands and end up killing, looting the Christian Eastern Orthodox churches, making off with priceless relics and religious books, paintings and bringing them back to France and Italy, Spain. They set up the Holy icons and statues of Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene and built new cathedrals around the pillaged goods.
The merchants of Italy and Italian clergy arranged for this barbaric plundering and murdering of the Christian churches of Syria, Greece and Jerusalem. Greed prompted this betrayal of fellow Christians in the 11th to 13th centuries.
The Cathars of France and Italy were a reforming group which sprang from this, using texts likely gnostic texts found, bought in the Holy Lands and other ancient Eastern Christian texts and bible copies and finding them different than the texts they had previously in Europe.
Stephen O'Shea has a great book about this, exciting to read, The Perfect Heresy: The Cathars. The Cathars were called Perfects by the people because most were not corrupt, did not demand money and were anti-clerical reformers of a corrupt Roman Catholic church of the times. Mary Magdalene was a very important apostle in the church.
So much unfounded speculation
So much unfounded speculation and wishful thinking. Too much "theology" ends up being fiction, and bad fiction at that. Yawn! "The Davinci Code" has already been written. But since Magdelene is deemed a saint by the Church, has anybody thought of praying to the woman? Who knows, you might get some answers that way!
we only pray to God, the
we only pray to God, the saints are not God
I can only assume that your
I can only assume that your are a Protestant, since praying to "the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints" has always been warp and woof part of the Catholic faith.
...only since the 13th
...only since the 13th century.
The four Gospels name her as
The four Gospels name her as witness to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus
There were no witnesses to the resurrection. Mary met the risen Christ, which is different to witnessing his actual resurrection. Also, Matthew, Mark and John name her as a witness to the crucifixion; Luke just mentions a group of women followers of Jesus.
For further information on Mary, try the link below.
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/womanwiththewildthingsheart/
I think that author has a
I think that author has a point. I think Jesus thoroughly loved women, in a human way as well as a divine way. I do not know if I think this way because I am heterosexual. I think God made him fully human and fully divine. The other apostles, Peter, Junia, Samaritan woman, for sure were married. Likely Jesus was married, and what is wrong if he was?
Bishop John Shelby Spong writes really well and he outlines how Mary Bethany likely was the wife of Jesus. He also writes of what Magdala really means (title not place) and his proof, as well as other scholars know it too. Magdala also was likely the Beloved Disciple. His arguments are very good, scholarly and written in a highly readable interesting way. I wonder if Cynthia Bourgeault was aware of his books and ideas?
I can't remember if Spong thought Magdala and Bethany Mary were the same person. Anyway I recommend reading his books. They are faith filled and really good. Orion 71 I agree this is not the Davinci code and jaunita we do need to pray to God. These works are much more scholarly and reliable than Dan Brown. However, Brown's book sure captured the attention of the public. Wonder why it struck such a chord with millions of people worldwide.
The DaVinci code is fiction
The DaVinci code is fiction and is not considered a scholarly theological work!
I think it was interesting to people because they thought they were getting an inside look into the clandestine actions of the Church.
If you would read The Poem of
If you would read The Poem of the Man-God with Jesus dictating the many volumes to Maria Valtorta, a mystic of the 1940's you would read all of Jesus thoughts on Mary Magdalene. He loved her in a divine way because she was His greatest conquest in a spiritual way. She was a woman with 7 devils, beautiful, emotional, strong, and when she came to love Jesus she did it with her whole heart. Please remember that Jesus was perfectly pure His whole life...no sex with Magdalene or others. Yes, she was the sister of Martha and the sister of Lazarus. Yes she settled on the coast of France. I was there at this Cathedral...St. Maximum. She lived in a grotto as a penitent for the rest of her life. In The Poem Jesus states that He would have liked to be married and raise a family but He knew God's plan for Him was to suffer and die for mankind so that was out of the question. Mary Magdalene was only one of the women who followed Jesus, along with His mother, Joanna, Susana. Susana was the woman of the wedding at Cana...she was a relative of Jesus and Mary. The Poem of the Man-God should be read by everyone who loves Jesus. It will change your life. God Bless you.
If you would read The Poem of
If you would read The Poem of the Man-God with Jesus dictating the many volumes to Maria Valtorta,
Eh, no thanks. I'm sure it's very beautiful, but poetry is just that, poetry.
There are many legends about Mary Magdalene, but that is what they are, legends. I don't think Jesus ever heard of a screw-driver, let alone used one. There is absolutlely no certainty that Mary retired to a grotto on the coast of France.
And since when did having sex, or making love, imply that one is impure?
The Poem of the Man God is
The Poem of the Man God is not poetry. Why do you reject out of hand the most important work about Jesus in 2000 years? Your answers are not based on anything. Jesus was a carpenter and He was the best one He could be. Yes, go to the coast of France where all the information is there at St. Maximum. He was the first bishop there and was also the caretaker of Mary, Martha and Lazarus' property in Bethany. They left Bethany after the persecutions and beheading of James, the first bishop in Jerusalem. Mary Magdalene's scull is taken in processions and part of the scull's forhead is completely white, where Jesus touched her head after the resurrection andd said "Don't touch me Mary, I have not yet ascended to the Father. Sex is not impure outside of marriage. It is a great gift of God for procreation of children and physical joys. I challenge you to read the first volume of the Poem of the Man God. It should change your life.
Sorry Sue, I have no wish to
Sorry Sue, I have no wish to offend you, but I have made an exhaustive study of Mary Magdalene, interviewed the leading experts, and I'm afraid I have no option but to believe that all this stuff about France is legend, with absolutely no evidence to back it up, except the witness of a somewhat hysterical nun who believed she was having conversations with Jesus, who never heard of a screw-driver, wonderful carpenter that he may have been, yet the 'Poem' tells us he used one. If it gives you some comfort to believe this type of legend, go for it, but that's what it is. Legend. A bit like the Leaping House of Loreto. If that's what your spirituality is based on, great, but please, don't try to promulgate it as fact.
I have to correct myself when
I have to correct myself when I said, sex outside of marriage is not impure. I meant the opposite. Sex in marriage is pure...sex outside of marriage is impure. Another reminder to me that I'm very imperfect. I once belonged to a Mary Magdalene group and I bought a very detailed life of the Magdalene which included her life on the French coast. In the Poem Jesus is very strict with Mary Magdalene because he expected much more from her than with anyone else. Her great love made her strong. Also Jesus always said that women were much more loving than men. He says whoever does not love is not sanctified. He says "Blessed are you who understand how much I love you. And that repeat this love to the world to convince it to love me." Mary Magdalene who annointed Jesus feet, is the great lover. The reason I am defending her is because she is my favorite saint. I have been praying daily to her for over 10 years....a sinner who became a great saint.
I'm sorry to take issue with
I'm sorry to take issue with you again, Sue, but the book you read on Mary Magdalene must have been a devotional tract, rather than a book of historical criticism. Mary Magdalene was not one and the same person as the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus, either by weeping, or with the contents of the alabaster jar. Neither was she a repentant prostitute. She was conflated with other women in the gospels by Pope Gregory the Great, for whatever reason; probably so that there would not be too many women in Jesus' life. I do hope your devotion to her continues, as I believe she was a great and powerful woman, and probably deserved to be considered the leader of the apostles, more so than Peter.
If you would read The Poem of
If you would read The Poem of the Man-God with Jesus dictating the many volumes to Maria Valtorta, a mystic of the 1940's you would read all of Jesus thoughts on Mary Magdalene.
I am only wondering if in Isaiah God is offended and does not want his people to have anything to do with mystics, fortune tellers etc; Why would Jesus dictate to a mystic? I am puzzled!
To gezzamac: I don't know
To gezzamac: I don't know what you mean about a screwdriver...I have read the 5 volumes of the Poem of the Man-God almost 20 times since 1986 and I have never read that Jesus used a screwdriver. I think we are speaking about 2 different things. Go to the Maria Valtorta official website and there is some information about the mystic who wrote the dictations from Jesus in the 1940's. What legend are you talking about? What hysterical nun are you speaking of? My spirituality is based on my catholic faith. It's not important that Mary Magdalene ended up in France...the important thing about her is that she loved. This is what Jesus liked so much about her. The Poem is given to mankind to answer all the questions that bother people in the 21st century. It's a gift from Jesus to us and it will increase your love for Him a thousandfold. He wants us to BE LOVE.
Is this answered in her book?
Is this answered in her book? Do we have evidence outside of the gospels that Mary Magdalene was a real person?
Please Sue I think you need
Please Sue I think you need to be informed that Mary Magdalene was never a great sinner. She had illnesses that Jesus cured.
Pope Gregory in 599 deliberately smeared her and all women by blending together many biblical women and claiming she was them. Making her the woman of the city when she was not. The papacy APOLAGIZED for this ERROR in 1969, stating Mary Magdalene was NEVER a prostitute and that they had got it wrong.
Mary Magdalene was a holy and great Apostle, not a repentant prostitute. She was beloved of Jesus and greatly understood the teachings of Jesus. She was apostle to the apostles.
I have read several books
I have read several books about Mary Magdalene and the authors have several different opinions, The latest fad is to say she wasn't a prostitue,she was married to Jesus and had children by Him. never a great sinner regardless of what the gaopels say. If she was the repentant woman at Jesus feet washing His feet with her tears why does she do that? I agree that she had illnesses, but 7 great spiritual illnesses. According the The Poem of the Man God which was read by Mother Teresa and Padre Pio who insisted that people read it, Mary was a famous courtesan in her area of Magdala. She was separated from her brother Lazarus and Martha before Jesus converted her because they were ashamed of her. Jesus made her travel with him and the other women and the apostles throughout Galillee so that she would be seen as one of His followers and also to humiliate her. She was a very proud and beautiful woman but he wanted her to learn humility which was one of the virtues she lacked. Jesus was strong and He wanted Mary to be strong...she was brave in the face of her old lovers who made fun of her as she traveled with Jesus. She stood up to them and even tried to convert them. She became a holy and great apostle but the apostle to the apostles was Jesus mother. If you are a Catholic we have the gospels as our truth. Jesus says, from the Poem, He was dictating the gospels lessons and explaining them more clearly to make things clear to the people of our century who believe all sorts of strange things...even the one where people believe that Judas was saved by God in his eternal destination. Go to the Maria Valtorta Official website to get all the answers you need by reading the Poem of the Man God by Maria Valtorta. Many people are requesting that she be made a saint. For me, I believe these words and they have answered all more questions and gave me more information than I can use in my lifetime. Even Popes have stated there is nothing outside the gospels except more details. It even has the imprimateur. God Bless.
Oh Sue, please! Saying Mary
Oh Sue, please! Saying Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute is not a fad; it's the truth that has emerged from the years of study on the subject. There is no evidence to support any theory that she was married to Jesus; in fact all the evidence suggests that he was very ascetic in his personal discipline, and chose to remain unmarried, which did not signify a disapproval of either marriage or sex. The 'married Jesus' nonsense comes from fiction, and rather bad fiction at that. Neither was Mary the repentant foot washer, nor was she the woman taken in adultery. There is absolutley no evidence to suggest that she was the sister of Lazarus and Martha; that's more conflation of the type used by Pope Gregory. And quoting Mother Theresa or Padre Pio as some sort of support for the authenticity of this Poem of the ManGod just won't wash. Both of these people may have been holy and unique, but they were neither biblical nor historical scholars.
Why not accept Mary in her own right as the close friend of Jesus, and possibly the most senior and loved of his disciples? I think that's reason a-plenty to revere her, without any of this other stuff.
God gave us free will as a
God gave us free will as a gift and He himself doesn't intrude on this except in rare ocasions so we are all free to believe whatever we want about Mary Magdalene, Jesus, His Mother, the saints, the letters of St. Paul. That's why there are so many different churches. But since we are speaking about the gospels and the truth I was passing along a great gift to mankind, especially Roman Catholics, from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, dictated to a bedridden woman with 5 major illnesses who suffered for many, many years. He used her sufferings as they were valuable to Him for the sins of mankind. The word mysticism is only a belief in direct spiritual communication from God through contemplation. People who contemplate the things of God in a deep way become closer to Him. In the Poem Jesus would like all of us to spend time in prayer and some people become contemplatives because of it. Instead of debating whether Mary was a sinner or not go to the Maria Valtorta Official website where the whole explanation is given about who approves, approved etc. the words in the Poem. Again, I hope some Catholics who really love Jesus will give it a try. My spiritual director read it, 2 of my best friends read it, my friends spiritual director won't be without it and for me, I own many things but these 5 volumes are my greatest possesion. It's the life story of His Mother, then His...the apostles and all the journeys throughout Palestine. My favorite parts are when He gives His opinion on what is happening. There is a great deal on Mary Magdalene. You will really love her for her repentance..at least I do. And you will fall in love with Jesus, because He is exactly as you dream Him to be. When He was dictating His life He told Maria that He was sad because it was a huge effort for the sick woman for so few people who would read it. At least we know Padre Pio and Mother Teresa loved it and we know what became of them. By the way, when Jesus died and Mary and John and a few women were staying at the place of the upper room John managed to find Peter who was so repentant and crying harshly and he brought him to Mary, Jesus mother. Mary Magdalene told him to be quiet and shut up and control himself....she said "did I act like that when I knew I was nothing but vomit?" Peter replies "See. I am so bad a woman is able to tell me what to do." That's all I remember about Magdalene bossing the apostles. Another tidbit is that at the Last Supper before Jesus came into the room Jude, Jesus cousin, hits Judas Iscariot in the face and knocks him down for saying...he thought Jesus was mentally ill. The evangelists couldn't write about these things because they were trying to convert the Jews and if the Jews thought the new christians weren't perfect they wouldn't succeed. Jesus says now this century is ready for the truth with all the details. After reading and studying the Poem of the Man God no other religious book will satisfy you....just my opinion. God Bless.
Sue Please read Bishop John
Sue Please read Bishop John Shelby Spong's books. He has great insights to share about Mary Magdalene, based on scripture and excellent scholarly research. She was/is a Great Apostle, never a prostitute. We were deceived by pope Gregory and the RCC has formally apologized for confusing her with the woman of the city in 1969. Magdala Mary was NEVER a prostitute.
I think one of Bishop Spongs books is called Sins of Scripture, Finding the True Jesus, something like that. Bart Ehrman has great books too, New Testament scholar, and he wrote Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene as well as many other great books. Please get these books from a library or bookstore and read them.
It is not good that you obsess about Mary Magdala in the wrong way. She is a Holy and Great Apostle to the Apostles. Not so sinful, not a prostitute. We must not participate in the degradation of women, as that bad pope Gregory tried to do to our church and its negative impact for centuries.
These authors are also ones you should read. Bishop Spong, Bart Erhman.
May you have the Eyes to See and the Ears to Hear, as Jesus said to us.
Dear Sue, Firstly, I am sorry
Dear Sue,
Firstly, I am sorry for referring to Maria Valtorte as a hysterical nun; she was not a nun, but I do believe she was a hysterical woman.
You do confuse me when you talk about the Poem of the GodMan and then say it's not poetry. What is a poem if not poetry? And it does refer to Jesus useing a screwdriver; perhaps we have read different translations.
The story about Mary Magdelene arriving in France comes from The Golden Legend. Your last response to me says it doesn't matter if she never went to France, yet previously you state it as though it were a 'gospel' fact. You also talk about her anointing the feet of Jesus, when this is not so.
There is plenty of apocryphal material about Jesus, his family and companions, from various sources, and the Poem of the GodMan sounds like just another of these works.
I think Mary Magdalene is a woman much more worthy of admiration than some of the other so-called 'saints'; I simply ask that she be admired for the right reasons, and not for pious legends, or apocryphal works, no matter who writes them down, and no matter what is claimed as the source of 'dictation'.
In the gospel of John 11:2 he
In the gospel of John 11:2 he states that Mary was the one who annointed Jesus feet with perfume and her brother was Lazarus. I can see that you haven't read the Poem of the Man God, dictated by Jesus Christ to Maria Valtorta because if you did you wouldn't be asking me those silly questions. The Poem is not poetry. The screwdriver was invented before the first century A.D. whatever that has to do with the dictations by Jesus. I was at the town in France where Mary Magdalene's body is buried in the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene. Please, gezzamac, don't get bogged down by things that aren't important. I agree with you that Mary Magdalene was a great saint and one of Jesus favorites. Go to the Maria Valtorta Webring and you will have some information about the Poem of the Man God. We are speaking of spiritual things so I hope Padre Pio and Mother Teresa aren't just shut aside in favor of a no nothing historical writer. Do you actually trust a scholar over a saint? What is so wrong with a sinner like Mary Magdalene, annointing the feet of Jesus with perfume, in repentance for her sins? He forgave her and she became one of His followers. She didn't lead the apostles...they were dispersed to other nations and Mary and her family went to France. They couldn't stay in Jerusalem because of the persecutions of the Christians. Why do you have a problem with this? You have your beliefs on Mary Magdalene and I have mine...the main point is that she is a great saint. God Bless.
I am sorry if I confuse you
I am sorry if I confuse you when I say the Poem of the Man God is not poetry. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, dictated personally His life story and His Mother's life story in the 1940's to a bedriden extremely sick woman, with 5 major illnesses and 10 minor illnesses for the world to read. The popes have said there is nothing in these 5 volumes that are against the Catholic Church teaching. The books were translated into English since 1986 to 1990. There are also Maria Valtorta's 3 notebooks which are called mystical literature. They are private revelations which help us to love God more. This is the whole point of The Poem...Love. Each volume is several hundred pages of Jesus personal thoughts and visions which explain His life and those of His mother and the apostles and saints and sinners during His lifetime. The price for each volume and notebook is around $50.00 each. They are worth more than anything you would ever buy in your whole life. These words of Jesus will inflame your hearts and fill you with such joy it's impossible to describe. Saints have read them. Our Lady in Medjugorje says to read the Poem of the Man God because it's true. I have read them over and over and I believe there is nothing on earth as valuable to mankind than these Books. I hope someone who really loves Jesus, will believe me. God Bless you all.
Peace Sue. I will leave you
Peace Sue. I will leave you to believe what you wish to believe. Just in answer to one question:
We are speaking of spiritual things so I hope Padre Pio and Mother Teresa aren't just shut aside in favor of a no nothing historical writer. Do you actually trust a scholar over a saint?
I presume that, at the end of the first sentence there, you mean a 'know' nothing historical writer. Ah dear; but in answer to your question, yes, I do.
Again, Sue, peace.
Sue Mary Magdala was a Great
Sue Mary Magdala was a Great and Holy Apostle NEVER a prostitute.
Read the NEW TESTAMENT. She did not anoint him as woman of the city, that is ANOTHER woman. Pope Gregory LIED and mixed up the women on purpose to defame women.
Before pope Greg did his bad deed, Mary Magdala was known for what she was in TRUTH A Great Apostle of Jesus.
100's of monasteries and churches were named after Mary Magdala for the first centuries after the Resurrection of Jesus. Because she was a greatly Honored, and Holy APOSTLE never a prostitute NEVER, FACT.
Read Rex Weyler's book of 2008, The Jesus Sayings. Greg maligned Mary Magdala to take away from women any honor they had and to promote male only clergy and look what horrors and damage male-only clergy has done to our RCC!
If these visions in that book Man God do NOT follow this truth then they are wrong and misleading you away from the traditions, teachings of Jesus.
That is bad Sue to continue to defy Jesus and taint Mary Magdala and all women with erroneous junk Man God if it does not show her as Holy Apostle for Jesus and she certainly is NOT a sinful person at all.
Get RID of Man God Poem if it is telling lies about Mary Magdala ,. Stop perpetuating hatred and disdain for women, Sue!
The gospels are layered with
The gospels are layered with strata of tradition. The authors, whoever they were, did not pick up a pen and start composing from start to finish what today we call The Gospel According to_______ .
These writings passed through many faith communities that felt compelled to add their their commentary through the prism of their particular belief system.
These works under went editing, in terms that reflected both the social prejudices, economic travails, and disparate religious conceptions of the Jesus Message.
Because of this, readers of the gospels are exposed to the many overlapping conflicts so evident in gospel concordances.
Traditionally, biblical interpreters have chosen, maybe for misogynistic reasons to accord John, the brother of James, both sons of Zebedee, the sobriquet, "Beloved Disciple." Of course, this title strikes one as rather ambivalent today, when reading the gospel passage that at the (last) supper, the "Beloved Disciple" leaned on Jesus breast to learn who the betrayer was.
Much more fitting, putting aside the male prejudice of the gospel writer/s, and taking into account the universalist trait exhibited by Jesus, one might conclude, that a more rational candidate or the title, "Beloved Disciple" was Mary Magdalene.
The Gospel of Mary, composed in he early second century c.e. reflects an ancient tradition that Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene many times on he lips. He also confided in her many teachings that he did not share with his Apostles.
Do not rule out the apocalyptic, social, sexual and political milieu that prevailed, when trying to decipher the historical Jesus through the many layers of tradition that cloak his original persona.
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