Taking In The Weak

Photo by Jackson Hendry on Unsplash

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings."

-Hosea 6:6

In relating the narratives surrounding Christ's Passion and Resurrection, all four Gospels point out "...the women who had followed him from Galilee..." (Luke 23:49), namely, Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Clopas and the mother of James (the lesser) and Joseph or Joses, Salome, the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James (the greater) and John, and Mary Magdalene, "from whom he had cast out seven demons" (Mark 16:9). These women "had followed Jesus...ministering to him" (Matthew 27:55). Now they were witnesses to his death and, soon, would witness his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven.

There is more to glean from the Sacred Scriptures about these women. The Blessed Virgin Mary was the widow of Joseph, a carpenter in Nazareth. Her son is the Son of God and led a ministry among the towns of Palestine. Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Salome were married, too, with sons involved in Jesus' ministry, with the exception of Salome's son, Joseph/Joses. Since James, James and John are identified in Sacred Scripture as fishermen working for their respective fathers, Clopas and Zebedee were fishermen. Sacred Scripture indicates, that the Blessed Virgin Mary and Salome were sisters (John 19:25), thus making Jesus, James, and John first cousins. Scripture indicates, too, that Salome was related to a priest, as John was "known to the high priest" (John 18:16). Mary, Mary, and Salome, then, were from typical Jewish working class families and, it seems, they had stable home lives.

Mary Magdalene, though, had a much different background. As mentioned above, Jesus had cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2). "Magdalene" is derived from a Talmudic expression for an adulteress. She comes to Jesus for forgiveness and receives it. She, then, returns to the home of her brother and sister, Lazarus and Martha, in Bethany and follows Our Lord and ministers to him.

As we learn from the story of Christ with the Samaritan woman at the well, adulteresses were not accepted into the community, yet we have three respectable married women accepting within their company Mary Magdalene, a woman so associated with adultery, her sin becomes her last name, so to speak. In the New Covenant Christ preaches, those who have sinned and repented, especially those suffering with addictions, can find within their Christian community the love, acceptance, and support they need to continue faithfully in their journey with Christ to the Cross and salvation. Mary, Mary, and Salome offer to Mary Magdalene the example of chaste and holy womanhood, support in times of struggle and temptation, and an unending love, which overpowers her doubts, regrets, and self-hatred. As Christ was not made unclean by touching the leper to heal him, Mary, Mary, and Salome do not bring shame upon themselves for bringing Mary Magdalene into their company. On the contrary, in sharing the love of Christ they have received, they bring upon themselves and Mary Magdalene Christ's grace and strengthen themselves in their practice of virtue.

During Lent, as we struggle to give up and to give away in order to practice our Lenten sacrifices and penances, take a moment to think of someone you know, who may need to be taken into the company of you and your friends. Who is that person? Invite him or her now.