A Courageous Woman

This week we celebrated the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, the first one to encounter Jesus after the resurrection. Mary Magdalene seems a surprising choice for this honor. Why not Peter, whom Jesus named as the leader of his church? Why not his beloved apostle John?  And why a woman in a society where women were considered inferior?

Jesus, a God of surprises, chose a woman who was not the ordinary wife-mother image. He elevated Mary Magdalene, a single woman, for her fidelity and fearless devotion. She was with him as he suffered and died on a cross of humiliation when all the other apostles fled except John. There were other faithful women, too, like his mother, Salome, and the mother of James and John; but Jesus chose Mary Magdalene to be the first to encounter him after the Resurrection.     

Who are the ones who called you forth and saw the good in you?  Who helped you to become the one to remain faithful when everyone else turned away?  We all have people who see potential in us and call us to be more than we ever thought we could be. Maybe it is a relative, a friend, a co-worker, someone who lifted us up from the anonymity of a crowd. We need to thank them and let them know how much we appreciate their support.

We must also call other women forth “to roll back the stone and run to spread the good news.”  I’m sure Mary Magdalene opened the apostles’ eyes to a greater understanding of the gifts of women. It is so important to lift up other women to see their value and to become strong women unafraid to stand up for justice, truth, and equality in the church and in the world.  

In last year’s gathering in Rome on becoming a synodal church, recommendations included “greater access (of women) to positions of responsibility within dioceses and other church institutions, more recognition of the work of consecrated women in seminary formation, an increase in the women serving as judges in church canonical processes and more inclusive language in preaching, catechesis and official church documents.” (National Catholic Reporter July 19-Aug. 1 2024) Just as Jesus lifted up Mary Magdalene, women in today’s church need to be called forth.

Barbara Mayer, OSB