Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Seven Leadership Lessons from Mary Magdalene
by Teresa R. Albright, Pastoral Associate

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. Mary the Magdalene is a person in the New Testament worth considering; especially since she spent the greater part of the last one-thousand-four-hundred years misrepresented in the western, Catholic imagination as a penitent sex-worker. However, modern Biblical scholarship gives us the chance to rediscover this important figure of early Christianity. 

Mary the Magdalene is significant, in part, because she is so prominent in the Christian Testament: appearing many times and in all four gospels (Mt 27.55-56, 61; 28.1; Mk 15.40-41, 47; 16:1, 9; Lk  8.2; 24.10; Jn 19.25; 20.1, 11, 16, 18). She was a follower and close companion of Jesus, she stood by Jesus as he died on the cross, and she discovered his empty tomb on the third day. Named in all four Resurrection stories, Christians from the beginning not only recognized Mary Magdalene as an important person in Jesus’ earthly life, but also in announcing that Jesus is the Christ.

In 2016 Pope Francis decreed that the liturgical memory of Mary the Magdalene be celebrated as a feast day “like that of the other apostles.” He affirmed what tradition had held for centuries; that Mary of Magdala was the “Apostle to the Apostles.” We have much to learn from her.

I was blessed to visit the relatively new archeological site at Magdala while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The town sits on the west coast of the sea of Galilee, about six miles from Capernaum where Jesus called “home” during his ministry. New archeological discoveries of Magdala and its culture are still coming to light and it will be exciting to see how Christians rediscover and reimagine this early church leader.

7 Leadership Lessons from Mary Magdalene

1.      Remember that we are all in this together

[She] “saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them…” (John 20:1-2)

To be a leader presupposes that there are others that you are leading. Don’t forget that you are not alone in solving a problem or accomplishing a goal. The ultimate responsibility may fall on your shoulders, but there are others who can help you. You don’t need to do everything yourself. Get other’s perspective on the situation. Brainstorm together. Ask them to be your sounding board and help you articulate what you’re trying to communicate.

 2.      Bring it to prayer

“Then the disciples returned home. But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.” (John 20:10-11)

Each of us is pulled in many directions, no matter our state or station in life. Some days it seems like everyone wants to offer their two cents on how you should handle something. But at the end of the day, the responsibility falls to you the leader. If the right direction is unclear and all the other voices have disappeared, take the time to simply stand in one place and contemplate your next move. Bring your questions and concerns into your prayer. It is here at the crossroads of the unknown that God speaks.

3.      Take a look for yourself

“She bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.” (John 20:11-14)

Good leaders don’t only rely on the word of one or two people. A leader looks for themselves, especially in contentious areas. Before investigating for herself, Mary saw the stone removed from Jesus’ tomb and ran to tell Peter and the Beloved Disciple. But after they had examined the empty tomb, she decided to look inside for herself. Good leaders are willing to say, “I don’t know,” or “I need to take a closer look.” Remain open to the possibility that your perspective is incomplete. You may discover that what you thought was a problem was in fact an unexpected blessing.

4.      Be ready to do your part

“She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” (John 20:15)

A good leader doesn’t leave all the effort and hard work to those she leads. God calls us to full participation in life. The Sacraments teach us this, and most fully in the Sacrament of Eucharist. Leadership requires a willingness to dig in, get your hands dirty and accompany those you lead. When asking something of others, a good leader is willing to jump in themselves when needed.

5.      Be yourself

“Jesus said to her, 'Mary!'”

God calls us by name. At your baptism, when your parents or godparents proclaimed your name to the gathered assembly, the church affirmed you as an individual with dignity and a distinctive relationship with God. Don’t hesitate to bring your unique experience, skill and perspective to the table. There are many other good leaders out there. But God doesn’t need another them, God needs you to be YOU. In the end, whether you fail or succeed as a leader, you will always be loved by your Maker.

6.      Let Jesus teach you how to lead

She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”- which means Teacher.” (John 20:16)

Jesus is the best teacher you have. He began his ministry with a small group of disciples, that turned into throngs of followers, that became a movement that transformed the world. Jesus led by example. He literally walked the walk. He chose his words carefully. He knew how to speak to different audiences. He excluded no one. And his door, even his roof, was always open.

7.      Let go and let God

“Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me…but go to my brothers and tell them…” (John 20:17)

It is human nature to cling to power and influence. But a wise leader knows the limitations of human power, as well as its ability to corrupt. Eventually there comes a time when a leader must let go of control. This might be the most difficult lesson in leadership. It requires overcoming emotional dependence, ceasing materialistic appropriation, and accepting the impermanence of things. But the Christian leader finds comfort in knowing that success is not measured by human securities and worldly honors, but by how her work glorifies God.

 

Portal to Prayer

How can I be evangelized by Mary Magdalene’s example? How can she bring me closer to her Lord, Jesus? Let us pray:

St. Mary of Magdala – pray for us.

St. Mary, friend of Jesus – pray for us.

St. Mary, first witness to the Resurrection – pray for us.

St. Mary, apostle to the apostles – pray for us.

All holy men and women, saints of God – pray for us.

 

An Ecumenical Moment

Catholics share many of the same feast days with our siblings in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, including today’s feast. In the Eastern tradition, Mary Magdalene is also remembered on the Sunday of Myrrh-bearing Women, which honors the role of eight biblical women in the Easter story. Identified in tradition as “the myrrh-bearers,” these women provided for Jesus out of their possessions and served as deaconesses to the early Christian community. They are:

·         Mary, the Theotokos (the Virgin Mary)

·         Mary Magdalene

·         Joanna (wife of the steward of Herod Antipas)

·         Salome (mother of the sons of Zebedee)

·         Mary (wife of Cleopas)

·         Susanna

·         Mary of Bethany

·         Martha of Bethany

(Source: orthodoxwiki.org)