Week Three

The Mary Mission

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The importance of collaborating. Jesus didn't come as a warlord or a rich businessman. He was a poor wandering teacher, preacher and storyteller. One who needed fed and sheltered by others. One of the people who provided for him was Mary Magdalene, a woman who is prominently mentioned several times across all four gospels, looking out for Jesus. This week we are taking inspiration from her practical, unstinting ministry. What’s fascinating is that Mary is almost always mentioned as part of a group. The story of her individual liberation (Luke 8: 2) quickly becomes a story about deepening relationship, friendship and community. Mary, Joanna (and many other unnamed women) stayed with Jesus throughout his ministry. Mary and others supported him when the going got tough, unwilling to abandon him even at the cross. As women whose lives had been transformed by Jesus they were a crucial part of forming a new community where all could contribute and collaborate together.

SEEDS TO SOW: What support and encouragement can we provide as a community for the Kingdom this week?

Read Luke 8: 1-3

Providing for Jesus

Mary Magdalene is always shown to us as looking out for Jesus. She was not just a passive recipient of Jesus’s ministry, but an active and engaged member of the community.

What would it have been like to be Mary, life transformed, creating a new network of supportive women (like Joanna and Susannah mentioned in the passage) to help transform the lives of others? What was involved in providing for Jesus then and how are we collaborating with others to use our resources, ingenuity and leadership to provide for Jesus today?

Read Mark 15: 40-41 and Matthew 27: 57-61

Standing by Jesus, the last to leave him

Mary, along with several other women, didn't abandon Jesus at his lowest ebb. When the disciples are in disarray, these women stand by united together, drawing strength from one another. We can contrast this image with Peter alone in the crowd by the fireside as the cockerel crowed. In our Matthew reading we see the two Marys sitting opposite the tomb of their Lord, united and present.

In these readings we have a beautiful picture of friendship and devotion, not only friendship with Jesus but friendship in the community. What are our insights on friendship from these women? What are we learning?

Read Luke 24: 1-12

The first evangelists

In the face of the disciples’ scepticism Mary makes the leap, apostle to the apostles! Let’s reflect on the incredible legacy of Mary Magdalene. At a time when a woman’s testimony had little legal or social weight — it is her and her community of women who are entrusted with this news. But then, who better than these women who knew the true value of collaboration, relationships and standing by one another?

Jesus championed women, how can we champion women? Jesus wanted men to know the good news, how are we reaching out to them?