She Persisted

Gospel: John 20n: 1-2, 11-18

Mary Magdalene stands in a line of women in the Gospels who are the first to proclaim good news to others.  Mary the Mother of Jesus announces her good news to her cousin Elizabeth, who in turn has good news to share.  The Samaritan woman at the well brings the good news of her encounter with Jesus to her village, and the entire population comes to follow Jesus through her proclamation.  Peter's mother-in-law is the first to model discipleship in her healing experience, getting up and serving others.

Mary Magdalene is the only woman mentioned in all four Gospels as being present at the death of Jesus.  While everyone else fled and hid, she persisted in her following the Lord to the very end.  She is also the only one mentioned in all four Gospels who goes to the tomb, her persistence in following Jesus continuing even after his death.  She alone is mentioned as the one to bring the news of the resurrection to the rest of the disciples.

Mary is not believed by the other disciples.  It will take multiple encounters with the risen Jesus before they come to believe what she said in the beginning.  It is, then, not surprising that the Church cannot find it within itself to recognize the full value of women in ministry.  But these women and this feast today remind us that they too are called, and perhaps one day we will all hear what they hear and see what they have seen.