Song of Solomon 3.1-4: the compulsion of love: “ when I met my true love I seized him and would not let him go”
2 Corinthians 5.14-17: in Christ we do not judge others by worldly standards…
John 20.1-2, 11-18: Mary at the tomb in the garden….
This Sunday the dedication of Stockbury to St. Mary Magdalene provides us in The Six with the opportunity to share in her commemoration. If you haven’t been up there, this is also a chance to see a most beautiful church in an unspoiled setting, and to reflect on the fact that the lovely church is still standing while the stern Norman castle which accompanied it is now only some rings in the ground. The Patronal Festival is being marked by a Songs of Praise service at 6pm.
Well now, to begin with Mary at the tomb in the garden. The garden is not just a happy accident, it is crucial to the story. For scripture grows out of a garden and returns to a garden – from Eden to Paradise – and in this garden we find nature’s gardener, Christ, in joyous disguise, but then revealed to the great joy of Mary. So great was her joy, that not surprisingly she wanted to touch and cling to the figure in front of her. But this, she is told by Jesus, is not possible. To cling to him would be to anchor him to the earth, while he is on his way to the heavenly realm and nothing, no human affections even, can hold him back. But he is returning home not just for his own sake but for ours as well, to the God who is both his and ours, and he returns so that we may know him in a new way and for all time through the presence in our lives of the Holy Spirit.
A lot of soppy stuff has been written – and filmed – about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It tells us much more about the age in which we live, and the predilections of the writers, than about either Jesus or Mary. But what we do know from the pages of scripture is that Mary came to the tomb of Jesus full of pain and distress, and yet she became the first witness of the Resurrection, and was sent to tell the other disciples the good news. There is a Greek word which means to send – “apostello” – from which we get our word “apostle.” Jesus appointed Mary the apostle to the apostles; the messenger to those who were to bear the message into the nations of the world. And would they believe her ? She certainly excited their wonder and curiosity, but not yet their faith. (After all, we have to remember that in Jewish law, a woman was not accounted a competent witness – something which surely Jesus overturned by sending Mary with the greatest message of all time.)
Now to a further look at Mary herself – who was she, and what do we really know about her? We know actually very little about Mary; she may have been from a village named Magdala on the western shore of the sea of Galilee. St. Luke tells us that she was the woman from whom Jesus cast out “seven demons” (Luke 8.2). Some modern writers suggest that these “demons“ were various diseases or ailments, but it is much more likely that earlier writers were correct, and that “seven demons” means that her life was some kind of a human disaster, waiting to be reclaimed by the love of the Lord. The number “seven” in the Bible indicates completeness, so meaning in Mary’s case that she was completely off the rails, morally and spiritually, and this may have had physical results as well. She was what we might call “the worst possible case.” What we can be sure of, is that her love for Jesus was in the measure of the afflictions from which she was delivered - she loved him with all her heart and soul. Remember Jesus said that those who are forgiven little, love little.
Mary was forgiven so much, her healing was so complete and miraculous; no wonder she stood at the Cross, no wonder she stood bereft outside the tomb.There we see Mary standing, full of grief and love; she is also a witness to us of those who are outcasts in our own society; do we write them off ? Do we fail completely to recognise their humanity, their potential for being transformed ? Is a jail sentence the end of the story in the scope of our moral judgment ? That is why St. Paul tells us, in our reading from Corinthians, not to judge others by worldly standards. It is very easy to elevate ourselves by diminishing others, but that is not the Christian way, the way of the foot-washing Lord.
And so to our first reading, from the most erotic book in the Bible, the Song of Songs. This is a book which can be read at a number of different levels: erotic love poetry, the quest of the human for completion, fulfilment; the spiritual love affair between the human soul and its divine maker. Without getting into all this, the passage which has been chosen reminds us of the natural desire for possession which is a part of love. There is nothing wrong with that; it is a part of being human. But when we transpose love to a different level, that of the love between us humans and Christ our redeemer, love is transposed into a new key which is no longer that of possession but of freedom and self-giving. The greatest love is that which seeks no reward, and that is the proof, ultimately, that we are in the presence of the kind of love that leads St. John to tell us “God is Love.” Perhaps we can see this love at work in St. Paul as well, who would rather be cast aside from God’s presence than see his fellow kinsmen the Jews excluded from God’s salvation. But sometimes we see it too, nearer to home, in the love with which those dear to each other may care for the suffering one right to the end of a life which has a long final chapter of disability and often confusion.
Mary Magdalene and Art
Wait for it …. some of the worst Christian art is focused on Mary Magdalene, because her story is one which allows the artistic imagination to run riot. Now appreciation of art is a very subjective thing, nevertheless, I will share with you what - so far - I have come up with as the “worst” and “the best” representations of Mary.
The worst: http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Saint-Mary-Magdalen-Renounces-All-Pleasures-of-Life-Posters_i2573995_.htm
The best : Donatello, 15th century http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy
/florence/duomomuseo/magdalene.html
And – up at Stockbury, in her church, in the Lady Chapel there is a special artwork depicting scenes from the life of Mary Magdalene, which add up to the form of the Cross. This was painted by a modern Dutch artist from the Dominican order, and Revd Margaret Mascall had the imagination to see this work completed and installed.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus, in your love you redeemed Mary and called her to newness of life; as we remember her story, fill our hearts with compassion for those who do not know you, but whose lives may still be changed by your message. Help us to play our part in making you known. Amen
