The Wisdom of Mary Magdalene
As someone who has navigated the complex landscape of faith, my journey started at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church in Portland. Baptized alongside my siblings, we were members, with our father even serving as a deacon. Yet, my early encounter with a traumatizing image of Jesus on the cross left me with more questions than answers.
Our family’s relationship with religion shifted when we moved to Hawaii. While my parents made a few attempts to attend church, my own curiosity about the Divine deepened. Despite witnessing inconsistencies between what was being preached and the behavior of churchgoers, I found comfort in the sacred music and continued attending services alone for a few more years.
Reflecting on my spiritual journey and my current work as an EFT/Tapping practitioner, I’ve pondered the idea that each of us embodies the “Seven Deadly Sins.” What if, instead of seeking to transcend these supposed vices, we are meant to embrace them as facets of our humanity? Meggan Waterson’s perspective, inspired by her writings on Mary Magdalene, introduces the idea that these sins are integral to our human experience. Not that we have to glorify them, but also that we not hide them away.
In the 1850s, Mary’s gospel was discovered, dispelling the false claims made against her and revealing her true role in the divine narrative. Perhaps, like Mary Magdalene, we are meant to challenge societal expectations and question the narratives that seek to diminish our inherent divinity. Embracing the fullness of our humanity, including the qualities of Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth, could be a path to a more authentic and meaningful spiritual connection. We could actually love those parts of us so that they no longer run our lives.
In essence, my journey has led me to appreciate the complexity of faith, the beauty of doubt, and the wisdom embedded in the stories of those like Mary Magdalene who dared to challenge convention. As I continue to explore my spirituality, I am learning to embrace the contradictions and complexities that make us undeniably human.
