The whole of Bethany was hurrying to Jerusalem for Pesach celebration. There was much commotion with the rumor that the next king of the Jews would finally confront the oppressing Romans. Excitement was in the air. All wanted to hail him as he entered the Holy City.
Back at the house, Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Miriam were busy tending his fast recuperating health, while Mariham (Mary Magdalene) fixed a bed for Mary who was exhausted after her long journey, insisting Mary stay the night, knowing things would be rough in Jerusalem. She insisted too, on washing her feet before she lay to rest. As she did so, she took the same sponge, woven with her hair, the day before to wash Jhesus’ feet, and immersed his mother’s feet in warm oil. Mary had not resisted. She was much too tired. The long trip from Nazareth and her bottled up worries were taxing their toll. Mariham held her feet delicately and once she finished she kissed them tenderly. Mary felt her love and was comforted knowing that it came from the adoration she felt for her son.
Mariham, also known as Mary Magdalene was from Magdala, a rough city near Capernaum, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Being a much-travelled route for the exchange of goods, it was a gathering spot for merchants and bandits. Most husbands, gone off as mercenary soldiers to fight for the Romans, left women alone, solely responsible for their children and the elderly town. Their only means of survival was prostitution. Mariham, however, was from a well-to-do family and though she had lost her mother at childbirth and her father to the Romans, being an only child, she had been brought up and educated in religion by her elderly grandparents as if she were a boy. When they died, she opened their family home to care for battered women and prostitutes fleeing from the violence they were exposed to. She met Jhesus one such time.
Mariham had thrown herself over a woman being stoned on the street for adultery, to protect her. Jhesus stopped the brutal stoning asking that only those free from guilt, do the judging. No one was left to punish. Jhesus then helped her up and picked the bleeding woman from the ground. She immediately fell in love with him. His kindness and congruence with his teachings had totally won her over.
She was unlike other women. Her goal was not to marry or have children. Being a deep believer, she wanted to help build a better nation and work for peace. She was free from prejudice, fighting for social justice. So, it wasn´t surprising that she should take up and follow Jhesus. He already had a couple disciples, though none, a woman. It hadn´t been easy, since although all of his followers were good men, they found it difficult to accept a woman, as disciple. Her feminine spirit and knowledgeable upbringing made her easily outstanding, cause for much envy. Jhesus’ mother didn´t have to know such detail. Their intuitive nature gave them shared understanding. Love for Jhesus locked them to his same destiny.
Rocked in Mariham´s embrace, Mary found peace and the repairing repose, she much needed. They didn´t have to go with the townspeople to hail their much-awaited king with palm leaves, into Jerusalem. They both knew what lay ahead. They would catch up, for the seder ceremony, tomorrow. Exhausted, she fell asleep.
That night, was crucial. Lazarus had seemed to come to Mary, as in a dream. “Mother of God”, he had called her, and went on.. “Remember… Jhesus was, before, Light; he is now, Light; and will go beyond, to be Light” ...and as if to confirm it, in the same dream, Joseph then appeared to her and taking her hand, said “I am always with you, ….and his loving face suddenly changed to that of Angel Gabriel’s, God’s messenger who had announced the coming of Jhesus…and slowly that same face was transformed into that of the Lord, always with her.
Mary woke up with a start and lay pondering on the meaning of such a dream. ‘Of course!’ It was clear, now …. ‘Joseph was always with her, because there is no death’, she reflected. Delving deeper into her vision, she was suddenly grasped by further understanding: Jhesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, as a message to prepare all his loved ones for what was about to come. ‘He too, would rise after death!’ Deeply moved and, finally at peace, she fell back to sleep.
Next morning, still struck by her dream, Mary felt her anguish stilled, by the newly-found meaning she had long been searching for. Ever since the presentation of Jhesus at the temple, on the 40th day of his birth, Mary had borne a cross of foreboding. The godly man Simeon (God-receiver), sitting at the entrance of the Temple, had foretold the tragic fate that awaited Jhesus, a fortune predicted for him by the forefathers.
It suddenly all made sense. She had been asked to be vessel for the birth of Jhesus and was now, too, being asked to be vessel for his rebirth. The pain of this second birth would be much greater, but the birth would give life everlasting. She washed up as she reflected and felt refreshed and strangely at peace.
Lazarus was up, greeting the women and feeling much better. His eyes met Mary’s, knowingly. During breakfast, all felt much better; his sisters, Mary and Martha, now relieved from their prolonged agony were carrying laundry and offered Mary to wash her clothes, but Mary needed the distraction. So together, the women went to wash, sharing feelings which they too, wished to be cleansed from.
Mary was moved when Martha confided, how she had offended Jhesus upon his arrival to Bethany. “You weren’t here to save Lazarus! You were too busy saving others and let your own family suffer a death which you could have avoided!” she had yelled, raging in bitter tears at him, and now deeply ashamed. Mary could relate to Martha’s anger. She herself, had often felt left out of Jhesus’ life, and felt, unjustly too, that he cared little for her or her father. Together they all washed out their grief.
Back in the house all were now excitedly packing the seder meal for Jhesus, James and his followers. Together they rejoiced with the anticipation of celebrating Pesach together. Just as they were loading the animals’ backs with their goods, Jair hurried in to help. They all took a moment to have a drink together before departure, as he updated them with news from Jerusalem. His emotional encounter with Jhesus, who had healed him through his owner’s faith, had turned into adoration after Lazarus’ resurrection. Everyone was moved to tears with his description. He told of the enormous crowd that had hovered around Jhesus, hailing him as king with waving palm branches, as he rode his donkey into Jerusalem. Mary couldn’t wait to see him. Mariham was sober with foreboding. ‘The Romans would not take well to the hailing of a new king’, she dreaded.
As I reflect on their sweet excitement mixed with bitter foreboding, I pray too, to be able to face my future fears with full trust in God’s forgiveness.
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