Universal Life Church

By Rev. Delores E. Burgess

Mary Magdalene

In and among many current spiritual and religious trends, the presence of Mary Magdalene's legacy is emerging with great interest and influence. Within recently unearthed Gnostic doctrines, her role and purpose with Jesus Christ and His disciples has been newly resurrected and can no longer be ignored or considered insignificant but applauded as an ensign for eternal foundations. It is for this cause I would like to share this perspective in hopes of establishing the vital relevance of the feminine message to modern day religion and social enlightenment and reform.

This writing is the result of a friend?s inquiry to me, concerning the life and works of Mary Magdalene and their meaning to mankind today in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following, is the dialog which was shared between us.

?...One has to wonder, over the course of 2,000 years, what has *happened* relative to that particular soul... (Mary Magdalene) Certainly, on the *now*-Scene, *lots* of people seem to be interested in her! It's like a Magdalene Renaissance!?

Mary Magdalene bears a powerful revelation; a principle. Perhaps this is her day; but if her truth goes without understanding or application it is lost (to man, not God). I've read much speculations these days of Mary's purpose...but in my estimation, hardly giving her purpose integrity. Tying her to High-Priestess of the Goddess or perhaps carrying Jesus Christ's child in secret, etc., may all bear truth in some respect, but I suspect these inventions are more to influence current theological movements than reveal her truth.

Throughout time, every *revelation* born of/in the flesh, by whatever name they are called by, are all messengers of God. They bear witness of eternal truth which furthers man's comprehensions of God to break down the barriers, through the power of Spirit, which separate us from Love and are continually constructed through ignorance. These souls are God's 'Aces in the Hole' and without them man would most probably be lost. I know this is not popular philosophy today as many choose to believe that everything goes and is as it should be, all progressing into light naturally. But if you consider this world *without* these who have given their lives to *bare* revelations of eternal truth, you must admit that this philosophy would be no more than an illusion or delusion.

To understand Mary Magdalene's truth, you must consider her conditions. Because of her gender and choices in life, her person/ality was considered contemptible among her peers. She was cast off by men and considered the filthiest form of life to the pious; the religious. She knew physical body contact but was empty within her soul. She *knew* she did not know pure love or peace; she *knew* she was lost. But when she found Christ; the revelation of God on earth, she *knew* she was found and brought back to Life and Love again with purpose in God. No *man* could give her this hope or knowledge or love - it was Divine intervention alone. Even the disciples of Christ did not know or carry this potent message. She walked closer to Christ than all of them because in her heart she *knew* her condition and could relate it to the reality of all mankind; though they remained blind to this reality through their own traditions. The disciples were taught these truths/principles but they believed on Christ's words, never truly understanding/feeling how separated they really were from the Eternal Divine. This is their difference. While Jesus' male disciples struggled with pride among themselves, Mary demonstrated the total equality within the nature of God which those of her day (as even today to large extent) could never fully consider. Christ's relationship to her was without prejudice, only established through the love in her heart for His truth. Jesus taught true worship of God through pure heartfelt love, which was considered revolutionary doctrine in that time. He did not allow even His disciples to glorify Him, only love Him. Humility and equality are fundamental principles of spiritual growth and eternal life.

Spiritually, the child Mary did indeed conceive with Christ would no doubt be the eternal principle of complete and perfect "equality". And truly, she did protect and carry it to the far ends of the earth, wherever His Spirit guided her. Equality is multi-faceted as is all eternal truth. Though Mary's life's demonstration was primarily the spiritual *gender-bender* of all time, it also revealed, in the most profound and blatant way, the misconceptions of *righteousness* through God's eyes. All are worthy: God sees only the heart; it is His temple and if it is open to give place to His presence, then so will He abide there. Her reality is the plight of all mankind: forsake the lie, become married to truth, conceive and bare revelation of it to the world...each according to their own purpose and without exception to race, gender, creed or status in life. She covered 'em all boys - and in one single shot. I know that many believe giving Mary glory as a 'Goddess' stature appears to credit her purpose, but if you see her in her truth you would never concede to do such a vile thing to her face. It is filthy slander to her very soul and discredits, defiles and destroys her work and purpose. To give one's life to establish equality, only to have it torn down so men can glorify an image is blasphemy and I can tell you she would not appreciate it in the least. This concept separates, yet again, men from God...drawing them to glorify *her* - not a chance in hell. Her spirit would not return the compliment in any degree. If people want to know her, they should seek to know her *truth*. If this seems insignificant to their understanding, in comparison to *honorable* recognitions, then these are the ones most in need of her ministry. Man tends to conceives all things in relationship to his own understandings and this is what has been done to Mary Magdalene today. Though I wouldn't consider her a *sexist*, I suspect she has born a male image more than once throughout her vast lifetimes of growth and revelation. Trying to tie her to the tiny concepts of man's understanding only (male/female union) would not be as beneficial as to pursue all the fullest meanings of her known life/lives on earth. This is so much like the Hebrews slaves wanting to go back to the false security of Egypt (despite enslavement) after being freed into new life. Though the male/female aspects of Jesus/Mary bare great significance to spiritual concepts of truth, if not understood and applied correctly, they are worthless. Letting go of traditional beliefs to conceive of higher visions is the path which frees us all up, within and toward each other also.

These are only the basic understandings Mary Magdalene brought to mankind. But as indicated, revelation of truth is multi-faceted so her purpose also bears witness and remedy to spiritual, eternal disputes past. Though elemental time continually projects/reveals all events past unto/until perfection, so these demonstrations convey personal and collective conditions necessary to align all properties in pure Light and Love of the Divine. Mary's personal plight is also to be considered within her demonstration in time, but not so much to the general public as to herself through her own responses in life and her progressions in Love.

Another facet of her revelation validates the truths of God/dess only in respect to revealing the aspects of the Divine which were violated and corrupted, in Creation's infant beginnings, through the designs of those souls who took advantage of Love for selfish intents. The 'female' attributes of God's Spirit drew all souls into intimate *comm/union* to conceive and birth the spiritual truths which enlightened and enlivened to develop her being/soul in and through Love's ever-expanding dimensions. *Intimate* because *His* presence permeated the very core essence of one's being to join within Her body, thus aligning the soul's perspectives to higher/greater vision and experiences of Love. The understandings conceived, bonded that soul to Her in degrees which were inseparable beyond any concept of marriage man has yet to imagine. It was in pure joy, innocence and Love that the soul experienced the internal conception and birth of truths of God never before known...and sadly, it was pride and lust for power which almost destroyed this irreplaceable aspect of God/dess' nature. Such was life before the *fall*. All religions and subconscious fears whisper of this eternal crime, but none remember fully. This gift of Love and Life, was all but entirely demolished, except for the intervention of Christ even then. God's sacred interactions with souls was made a filthy act by the counterfeit spiritual intercourse of arrogant, lying spirits drawing souls to it's/their own diabolical schemes of a world beyond it's Creator.

Infecting unsuspecting souls with his own seed of perversion of misconceived imaginations and illusions of grandeur, power and control. Light became darkness and Life/Love withdrew in pain. As Mary and Christ demonstrated, it was His love and intervention which saved and drew her purpose back to Life again....so did He then also hold the balance of Her eternal purpose in His hands. I know some would debate that God's properties/reality can't be destroyed/altered and I do concede...but God's direct intervention with mankind *is* the negotiable factor and only exercised according to God's will, not man's. But this is another story which could be too lengthy to expound in this setting. Sufficient to say, Mary was/is a very important link to man's evolution back into the Love of God/dess.

But each disciple was also a principle of eternal truth; each of their individual personalities is a key to the Divine nature and closer walk with God. To seek to know Thomas' truth, or Peter's or John's, etc., is revelation to all. Each principle also speaks to us individually, according to one's need to overcome or discover. So much truth within life and so little perceived. All one needs to do to know is to ask of God.

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