Mary Magdalene

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:11-18

Mary Magdalene

Woman why do you weep?
my love has made you whole
you are no longer damaged goods
now you are a child of God.

People see you on the streets
judging you for you shape and style
they pity or revile you
to justify their own sick hearts.

Woman why do you weep?
my love has made you whole
you are no longer damaged goods
now you are a child of God.

Their lust and cruelty still aflame
you heart kindled with love and compassion
a forgiven heart is free to sing
and your dong echoes through the ages.

Woman why do you weep?
my love has made you whole
you are no longer damaged goods
now you are a child of God.

The world rejects the misfits
those who give their lives feeding their young
torturing and excluding laughing and cursing
but you are beloved for ages to come.

Woman why do you weep?
my love has made you whole
you are no longer damaged goods
now you are a child of God.

God tore down the walls and the rules
others would raise them again
to keep out riff-raff disciples and saints
leaving only empty broken shells.

Woman why do you weep?
my love has made you whole
you are no longer damaged goods
now you are a child of God.






The Collect

Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and of mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed from all our infirmities and know you in the power of his unending life; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.