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A Poem & Reflection
The day of rest past—
rest prescribed by law,
rest that refreshed her body
and eased the fatigue of the harrowing day spent at Golgotha,
yet brought no relief to her grief—
Mary made her way early
to the garden where the priceless treasure of her master’s body lay,
that tabernacle so cruelly ransacked and emptied of the glow of life.
Night’s veil was not yet lifted from the earth,
but already a faint glimmer spilled over the horizon’s edge,
pushing back the shadows
and spreading its soft light through the garden as Mary entered there.
Yet even as the dawn began to break,
desolate darkness and black fear blinded her eyes,
for she’d come in one last act of kindness
to anoint her Beloved with sweet spices—
and found the tomb and…
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Mary Magdalene’s being a sinner or not a sinner does not seem the most important point here, yes, instead it is the fact that whether it was physical or mental/psychological or moral illness that she was healed from, Jesus healed her and rather than turn away and go about whatever life might be pleasing to her or someone of her station and abilities, she gave up everything and followed Our Lord. Through Jesus, Mary Magdalene was able to experience how deeply God loves each of us and this was life-transforming, as much as the healing itself, or perhaps they went together, the love and the healing. I pray that we will all experience the same, in Christ.