“Mary!” Mary then knew exactly who stood before him glowing in bright angelic light. The one word of intimacy of one’s name left no doubt this was Mary Magadelene’s Jesus.
It is in these words, that puts their physical relationship to rest, a death like his own, but a resurrection of a new relationship put in an almost incomprehensible realm. Oh, how this must be what the “Agony and the Ecstasy” must feel like. To want, to ache and to long for the love of her life, but to never truly “have” him is the essence of Mary Magadelene's cross that she bears. As in Jesus Christ Superstar’s lyrics, “I don’t know how to love him…” is the complexity of Mary’s love and devotion to Jesus, the Man and Jesus, The Christ. So mysterious is she, yet we do know she is strong, brave and stalwart in her devotion and commitment to their relationship, whatever exactly it was. She stayed until his last breath; she was the first to go to his tomb; she was the first to see the resurrected Jesus appear before her. She believed. She followed undauntingly.
I would be hurt by Jesus’ words, “Do not cling to me.” It sounds like a rejection and a lack of reciprocation of feelings, but it had to be. Throughout his relationship as a man on earth with Mary Magdalene, it had to be an inner struggle with him the entire time knowing, knowing the moment would come when they could not be in body together, yet despite that knowledge, he kept her close. He couldn’t deny himself her company and would not deny himself her company while he remained a man. She sat next to him at The Last Supper. I’d say that is a high place of honor, indeed. Being female with our innate nurturing qualities, she may have been a steady source of comfort to him with both knowing unfailing what would come.
“Mary!” (Mary! Look. it’s me…me, your Jesus…but I have changed to the Holy Spirit and you can have me no more.)
Fascinating stuff!
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