“My Spirit feels - The Vanquisher of Death - Joy is the streaming power - Of my breath - Grace is the living might - Of my blood…”
We turn now with the Easter Sun to the account of The Resurrection, which, along with the Anointing, are at the heart of the unique importance of Mary Magdelene, highlighting her role as death doula & Priestess of the Cosmic Sun. And after the Resurrection, the reason Thomas Aquinas named her “Apostle to the Apostles.” Many times in art, she is depicted holding a human skull & sitting in contemplation by the tomb.
Each of the Gospels has a different account. In Matthew, during Christ’s Harrowing of Hell, we hear of Mary Magdalene & ‘the other Mary’ sitting opposite the new tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had cut into the rock. I love this image of these intrepid women sitting on the raw rock among the earth elementals - the Magdala holding sacred space, like she did for her brother Lazarus in his initiation in the underworld - this time it is for The Christ - & this time she has back up – the other Mary – This phrase ‘the other Mary’ reminds me of Steiner’s Mystery Dramas – with ‘the other Maria’, a character of powerful mystery.
They return after the Sabbath to anoint the body of Jesus. An angel in radiant white comes, which creates an earthquake, causing the stone to roll away, & tells them to go tell the other disciples that the Risen One will encounter them on their way to Galilee. As they go, they see JC on the road & embrace his feet. Here too the Christ instructs them to go “Tell My Brothers”.
Here we have the 3 Marys. They were part of the group of women who not only helped finance Christ’s ministry, they also took care of life on the road during the 3 years - These women didn’t run away & hide when things got tough, they continue to follow.
The 3 Mary’s were known as Myrrhophores - Myrrh Bearers – Death Doula’s - Guardians of the Sacred Feminine Mysteries that held deep knowledge of the cycles of life, death, & rebirth – carrying on the ancient tradition taught to initiates in the Temple of Isis.
The Gospel according to Mark has two different endings. In the first ending, The 3 Mary’s arrive at the tomb to anoint the body. Again an Angel “dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side” tells them Jesus has risen; & the Angel tasks them to go tell the apostles & Peter. In the 2nd ending, it is detailed that Mary Magdalene is the first to see the Risen Christ - Mark 16:9-14 9 ‘When Jesus rose, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it…’
Luke’s account mentions the women who come to the tomb for the burial preparation as Mary of Magdala, Joanna, & Mary the mother of James – We see the Two Angels gleaming like lightning tell them that Jesus has risen. They, as well as other women, go & tell the apostles. That’s an interesting difference - many women are there - & yet what stays the same is that the men don’t believe them.
John’s account is very intimate. 1st we see what is so powerfully depicted in the Isenheim Altarpiece: Mary Magdalene on her knees, closest to the cross, her veiled eyes open, her hair undone, her hands in a mudra of agony - Behind her, Mother Mary, the Virgin Sophia, supported by the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ who is told to take ‘her into his home’. Steiner describes how they go to Ephesus & that she is the inspiration that guides him to write the book of Revelation.
Then later in the Gospel of John we hear how The Magdala goes to get Peter & Lazurus John, the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ - they see the empty tomb & leave – The Magdala stays, contemplating & weeping. She enters the tomb & sees Two Angels in white - one is at the foot - & one is at the head – Could this relate to the two anointings - &/or the 2 Jesus children? They ask her why she is crying.
Then she sees someone who appears to her at 1st as the gardener, who asks her the same question. Why are you crying? It makes me think of how when we are overcome with emotion we can’t see clearly. I think of that quote from ‘Light on the Path’ “Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears.” But when the Risen Christ speaks her name, the power of his Word, snaps her out of her grief – it ‘turns her’ so she can truly see – The Magdala comes to herself, she turns, & realizes who it is (notice how we have the word turns twice) – she sees him, & she reaches out to embrace him, but he says “do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”
The imagination that comes to me here, is like a butterfly that has just come out of the chrysalis, all wet & folded up, you can’t touch it yet, the wings have to dry. Or in terms of Spiritual Science - the ‘Resurrection body’ is still coming in, the etheric sheath has not quite congealed.
Then right away, the Risen Christ puts the Magdala to work, telling her to go to the other disciples & announce what she has seen - She begins her mission even before Pentecost - She becomes what Aristotle calls ‘The Apostle of the apostles’.
On Easter Morning I often think of Mary Magdalene & how She who anoints the ‘Anointed One’, never fell into a diminished consciousness after the casting out of the 7 Demons - She was faith full - a rolemodel to the others. She stays awake to experience the events of Golgotha, & was the 1st to see the Risen Christ. ~hag
Easter Spring Verse #1
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