Word to the Wise
Tuesday, April 6, 2021 - Octave of Easter - Tues
[Acts 2:36-41 and John 20:11-18]Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brother and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he had told her. [John]
We Dominicans (the Order of Preachers) have a special devotion to Mary Magdalen. The reason is given in the quote above from today's gospel scripture. She was the first preacher! The gospels are quite clear that Jesus first revealed himself post-resurrection to the women who followed him, and not to the Twelve! In the light of this, the subsequent relegation to women to a subordinate status in our church over the centuries is a scandal, which has only recently been addressed!! That subject is a bit too large for this space, but needs to be noted.
Mary Magdalen's experience of Jesus would soon become the experience of the disciples when Jesus appeared to them as well. He was the same, but not the same. He could eat and drink and his wounds were still there to see and touch, but he could show up in a locked room unannounced!! The amazement and confusion of the post-resurrection experiences would only be resolved with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the effects of which we see in the first scripture for today from the Acts of the Apostles. The first daily scripture for the next few days will give us samples of the early post-pentecostal preaching. It should be noted as well that it wasn't only verbal preaching but life-style preaching as well [Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35] that caught the attention of the people.
All Christians, men and women alike, are called to be preachers. The stubborn refusal of the pulpit to women in our church has to be addressed, but in the meantime, the preaching must go on in word and deed outside the walls of the church building. Can we all show some of the same excitement of the first witnesses? Can we both say it and live it? AMEN