Book of the Week
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The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle, by Karen L. King. Polebridge Press, 2013.
(Note: this Gospel is not part of the canon of Scripture, but is considered an example of writings from early gnostic communities.)
Many have probably heard of the
Gospel of St. Thomas, but maybe have not heard of the Gospel of Mary of Magdala. The Gospel was written probably in the second century and then disappeared for over fifteen hundred years. A single copy containing remnants of this Gospel was found in a Coptic translation in the late nineteenth century. Fewer that eight pages remain, meaning that only half of her writings are available today.
These
writings have only a brief narrative of the life of Christ, and they show His teachings as a path to inner spiritual knowledge, more in the style of John's Gospel than that of the Synoptic writers. This manuscript rejects Christ's sufferings and death as a path to eternal life. It stresses that Mary of Magdala was NOT a prostitute. To the writer's credit, the work stresses the way woman were leaders in the early Church. The romantic view of early Christians is challenged, as well as
Church authority.
As the early pages are not available, the script available begins with a conversation of Jesus with His disciples. Jesus speaks of the end of the material world and the nature of sin. He says that people sin because they are more involved with the material world, rather than the spiritual meanings of life. Jesus warns them of following an earthly authority and a set of rules and
laws. Then He invites them to go and preach the Good News.
But the apostles do not follow His orders and soon are bickering among themselves. Only Mary of Magdala follows the prescriptions of the Master. She becomes a teacher to Peter and relays messages which only she has received from Jesus. When she finishes her teachings, two apostles challenge her, Andrew and even Peter, who says
that Jesus would not give such exalted teachings to a woman!!! "She is lying, " Peter says. Mary cries, and Levi comes to console saying, "Peter is a hothead. We should be ashamed of ourselves for treating Mary in such a way."
Would you believe it, the manuscript that was retrieved ends there!!!
Hurrah for Mary of Magdala!!!
(Thanks to Sr. Irene
Hartman OP for this review)
Paperback, Kindle
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Saint of the Week
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St. Augustine of Hippo: (354-430) August 28 A Christian at 33, a priest at 36, a bishop at 41: Many people
are familiar with the biographical sketch of Augustine of Hippo, sinner turned saint. But really to get to know the man is a rewarding experience.
There quickly surfaces the intensity with which he lived his life, whether his path led away from or toward God. The tears of his mother, Monica (August 27), the instructions of Ambrose (December 7) and, most of all, God himself speaking to him in the
Scriptures redirected Augustine's love of life to a life of love.
Having been so deeply immersed in creature-pride of life in his early days and having drunk deeply of its bitter dregs, it is not surprising that Augustine should have turned, with a holy fierceness, against the many demon-thrusts rampant in his day. His times were truly decadent--politically, socially, morally. He was both feared
and loved, like the Master. The perennial criticism leveled against him: a fundamental rigorism.
In his day, he providentially fulfilled the office of prophet. Like Jeremiah and other greats, he was hard-pressed but could not keep quiet. "I say to myself, I will not mention him,/I will speak in his name no more./But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,/imprisoned in my bones;/I grow
weary holding it in,/I cannot endure it" (Jeremiah 20:9).
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