Mary Magdalene and the Women Disciples in the Gospel of Luke

Barbara Reid, O.P., is vice president and academic dean and professor of New Testament studies at Catholic Theological Union at Chicago.
Mary Magdalene and the Women Disciples in the Gospel of Luke
9th ANNUAL MARY OF MAGDALA CELEBRATION
Join in the conversation with a scripture course from STM Online: Crossroads goo.gl/6teVnM
This celebration of the feast day of St. Mary of Magdala begins with Mass, followed by lunch and a lecture. In her lecture, Sr. Reid offers an exploration of Luke's portrayals of women and the challenges that his ambiguous message about Mary Magdalene and women proclaimers of the Word pose for today's Church.
Sponsored by the School of Theology and Ministry

[@storytellingbyprofessorwaf9987]

Blessings Sister Barbara , God Bless your wisdom teaching ! The Lord is leading to the Saints and prayer. 🙏

[@johnk4437]

I am a huge fan and supporter of Mary Magdalene ! Not only do I find that she was an Apostle's Apostle. When I read the New testament, I was struck just how misogynist Peter and a few other of Jesus disciples were IN FACT ! Highly jealous and resented her intimate relationship with the Lord greatly. I then read much Gnostic and other Magdalene related material. I for one believe the Church we got was paternalistic and had denied women as whole their rightful place in relation to Christ and hence the Church doctrine we inherited is faulty. I can see and believe that secret sacred traditions evolved out of this knowledge and I've no doubt that that Jesus and Mary likely were lovers. Some lore suggest they were husband and wife. Some scriptures imply that. Much of her behavior suggest this. Intimate contact, appearances with family at the crucifixion, and honoring his body and preparation for this tomb. Of course then, Mary is the FIRST to see the RESURRECTED Christ, an sacred and highly personal honor It is Mary that informs the other disciples of his resurrection. There can be no doubt. As I see it, between holy man and his wife, no doubt a holy woman, a sacred marriage was involved. The tantric forces would have been very strong and if indeed they were initiates, they likely made use of that energy in creative ways. Perhaps to fully grasp and appreciate the nature of true gnosis available such relationships. Hmm... I wonder. I can sense it across time from here. Whatever else has been said. Mary Magdalene was robbed of her place in history by misogynistic and unenlightened early Christian fathers whom favored a paternalistic church.

[@georget.6357]

I also suggest Cynthia Bourgeault's book The Meaning of Mary Magdalene. I think, with an inquisitive unassuming mind, you will find some evidence that people tend to interpret the murky past as they would like to see it. As such, perhaps it's time we allowed women to be equal to men, not seen as a threat, and exercise our personal spiritual muscles. Mary Magdalene simply understood Jesus' teachings very well and we can learn from them both.

[@katiusza7249]

Thank you, I love this teaching.

[@DJ_20_THOR_7]

What a great commentary on the gospel of Luke and giving clarity about Mary magdelon

[@kleokriesel]

This is incredible, thank you so much

[@ralphstarling6707]

thank you!

[@c.a.macrae3519]

I love C A MacRae's Gemini Complex, The Cabal it's a thought-provoking read about the Cathars, Rennes-le-Château, Templars, The World Order, and the Holy Grail. Look out for the book, it's going to be released later this year!

[@rebeccanascimento8234]

great Barbara,thank you for the work!

[@susanmcdonald6879]

very informative, inspiring, and thoughtful; thank you so much.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

one comment, however, ""false"regarding paintings & images & other traditional stories, doesn't that remove the imagination you suggest is part of the answer & remembrance?

[@popev3887]

Oh goodness. I came here to look for inspiring material and teaching on Mary Magdalene, and what did I get? I got some misanthropic diatribe about a conspiracy by Saint Luke to eviscerate the role of Mary Magdalene in the ministry of our Savior Jesus Christ. Barbara Reid's conspiracy theory stands shoulder to shoulder with other great conspiracy theories such as NASA faked the moon landings, or NASA scientists are secretly studying ways to engineer earthquakes, or that the earth is really flat and that all those photos from space are just faked and are part of conspiracy! Saint Luke traveled and travailed for many years in the cause of Christ and finally died a martyr's death by being hanged from an olive tree. Barbara Reid on the other hand, sits ensconced in her air-conditioned office in luxury and there she spews forth like a burst SEWER pipe spreading a flood of pathogenic and noxious waste across the airwaves. My, my, my, I am so glad that the Roman Catholics have her! Barb sweetheart, just remember, that someday you will be held accountable for all of your words. You are truly disgusting individual for suggesting this conspiracy theory about Saint Luke.

[@josephwert3905]

Who then is the Mary ; sister of Martha and Lazarus?

[@MustHaveMedia]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoXLi2mOetVnp9k

[@abrahamdecruz5128]

Mary Magdalene. She is the sister of Lazarus and Martha.

[@denisebooth8963]

It really will help, under read the Bible, we understand that in the Old Testament it was a hierarchy It’s so much bigger than Mary Magdalene, that’s why Jesus loved her so much she didn’t have to agree. To fulfill her mission her purpose! She was obviously built Ford tough Mary Magdalene to endure all of this suffering that the world has given her🛐🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@mechaelwilliams9106]

It is very inspiring, and you learn things you didn't know

[@josephzammit6396]

I’m publishing a weekly KZbin video on episodes from the life of Don Bosco, entitled ST JOHN BOSCO by JOE ZAMMIT. In this series I’m narrating events and miracles from the splendid life of Don Bosco. St John Bosco used to perform a miracle almost every day, through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. From the lives of saints we can learn how to love God more and draw closer to him. Thank you

[@lallybenjamin3877]

Beautiful video. Thanks for good efforts.

[@aplusalphaomega4848]

the spirit of marry speaks to me and tells me everything about this world she speaks truth

[@popev3887]

Aplus, when I read your posting, my thought is that truly you are not a very educated or knowledgeable person about scripture are you, because if you were, you would realize what a load crap she is dumping, but then again, well, people like you probably like that sort of thing.

[@OzHareef]

Thanks for this upload! [Luk 8:2 ESV] 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out. Apparently, the slander of Mary Magdalene is systemic in Christianity. I had heard it so much I thought I read it in the Gospels.

[@denisebooth8963]

We are so, blessed to be born in a time like this. Wear every wrong towards, WOMEN that was written Will be corrected, where there will be no mistaken. GOD. New man was going to do wrong that’s why he already prepared for right to HAPPEN, Jesus God the father it’s no, Bigot. The times were not ready it would have been too much change. But the time is now. And that is a promise, a pinky promise on all the gold in Goldie locks ❤

[@narelle613]

This is a great theology seminar, I wait for the day when a woman becomes Pope.

[@sgrannie9938]

The authors of the Gospels were men of their times and cultures. We can’t accuse them of misogyny when in that context they didn’t know otherwise. Given that context, it seems unlikely they would have gained many converts no matter how “enlightened” they might (theoretically) have been. There was no conspiracy to silence the women.

[@FaithHopeandLoveMinistry]

I have just finished reading Mary and Early Christian Women: Hidden Leadership. The fundamental message that God allows women to be religious leaders who preach and give direction to men is true and deeply needed now in the Catholic/Christian faith. I wrote this review from the idea of writing a letter to the author. The best part of this book comes when the author’s (Ally Kateusz) hard work and courage reveal the long “hidden” stories of Christianity’s early female apostles (Romans 16:7) and deacons (Romans 16:1-2 and 1 Timothy 3:11). However, I would warn the author (and the readers) to have more faith in the actual Bible and to be more careful to separate the “wheat” from the “chaff” (Matthew 13:24-32 and Luke 3:17) in terms of the extra-biblical sources. Spoiler alert! This book does not prove that women have ever received what the Catholic Church terms the “ministerial priesthood”. In my opinion, she does prove that the Catholic Church’s current conventional narrative (CCC 1577) about how the apostles only chose men as their ordained collaborators and only had men for liturgical service is false. She proves this in the chapter on women preachers and baptizers. However there is a conspicuous lack of narrative evidence that the women apostles Nino Thecla, and Irene ever conferred the sacrament of Confirmation (Acts 8: 14-17 and Acts 19:1-7) or Order (Acts 6:-1-7, Acts 13: 1-3) To be fair there are some excellent novels and histories (2nd century) based on earlier oral traditions that were written down by early Christians. Unfortunately, later church authorities downgraded women's leadership and these true stories that were handed down from generation to generation were censored or destroyed. Kateusz tries to undo that damage. One of the gems of this book comes when Kateusz proves that honoring Mary as the mother of God (Theotokos) was universal among Christians before the Council of Ephesus. Let the reader be warned! There is a lot of “chaff” in this book where the author completely brakes with the actual Bible and the Catholic faith. Here is the case in point, Kateusz claims that Mary offers herself along with Christ at the Last Supper. Obviously, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John could not have forgotten that. If what Kateusz puts forward is true, then all she has done is call the reliability of the canonical Gospels into doubt. So, at that point she is basically adding whatever she likes to the Catholic religion. Second, she wants to throw 1 Timothy out of the Bible because she claims that it can't be reconciled with her thesis. The third instance of chaff in her book comes when she unfortunately sites doctrinally unreliable texts like the Acts of Phillip alongside good doctrinally sound texts like the Life of Thecla. Here is some of the good “wheat” that is on display in Kateusz’s book. Kateusz argues persuasively that the Six Books written down in the 2nd century are based on older Apostolic oral traditions about Mary the Mother of God. The Six Books were read in Christian churches and are probably the most reliable extra biblical sources that the author analyzes. She looks for common events in Mary's life and ministry that are present in this source and the Dormition narratives of Mary’s death, as well as The Life of the Virgin associated with Maximus the Confessor, the Protoevangelium of James, and the Gospel of Bartholomew. The chapter on women preachers and baptizers proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the women deacons from Roman 16:1 and 1 Timothy 3:11 were commissioned to preach, baptize, and oversee new Church communities in mission territory. It is believable that they could have been the religious leaders for these communities until male presbyters and apostles could arrive who would have been able to confirm the converts and set up local presbyters. It is notable that Kateusz cannot present a scrap of evidence that the female apostles were ordaining presbyters for their communities. Confirming and Ordaining are among the first things that Paul does when he arrives in a community. Here are some other highlights • The book confirms what Hans Urs Von Balthasar theorized about Mary being the greatest theologian. Kateusz shows that early Christian oral tradition describes Mary sending out a group of (male and female) missionaries from Jerusalem, supervising their preaching, and giving them further instruction. • Many early Christians believed that Mary's religious leadership was fully equivalent to the male apostle’s “high priesthood”. This is demonstrated by how the Protoevangelium of James has Mary twice entering the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple and by Romans 16:7. The Gospel of James or the Protoevangelium of James is always going to be a good witness to the Marian beliefs of Christians that lived in the first centuries however there are serious doubts about its historical reliability. • Early traditions have Mary offering her prayers along with liturgical incense in an action that was later restricted to Ministerial Priests. • The Life of the Virgin is part “wheat” and part “chaff”. It has some value in bringing out Mary's leadership in the early community. However, the author’s contention that Mary offered herself as priest and victim along with Christ at the Last Supper borders on blasphemy. Once again this isn't about being for or against patriarchal Catholicism this is just about being consistent in Catholicism’s understanding of the canonical Gospels. You simply cannot add Mary co- presiding at the Last Supper and still cite the canonical Bible as an infallible witness to Jesus’s life and ministry. • Kateusz relies on early Christian catechisms like the (Didascalia Apostolorum) and written collections of oral tradition to conclude that it was common in the early church to have two presiders at the Eucharist one male and one female (father and mother). She thinks that this demonstrates that women were ministerial priests. However, there is no reason to think that a female deacon couldn't co-preside. This is much more consistent with the canonical New Testament than believing that females transubstantiated the Eucharist. Remember other than consecrating the Eucharist deacons (in the 1st century) basically could do everything presbyters did in the early Church. That is why St. John Chrysostom expressed confusion about whether he was in fact reading about the deacons (and not presbyters) in Acts chapter 6. They seemed to him to be demonstrating the managerial, pastoral, and other non-sacramental responsibilities that were only given to presbyters in St. John Chrysostom’s time. One of the highlights of this book is learning how early Christian writing and art proves how Jesus and Mary are inseparable. It proves that doctrinally orthodox Christians venerated and prayed to Mary in the 2nd and 3rd centuries without any doctrinal guidance from the Church. Another joy is learning about how central Mary’s leadership was in the founding of Christianity. I could see that the author probably has multiple PHD's in art history because she spent a lot of time analyzing the symbols inside historical church artworks. Her argument for women priests is basically this. Roman 16: 7 and reliable oral traditions from the 1st and 2nd century agree that women were given the extraordinary title “apostle”. Furthermore, the author's analysis of art history reveals that artwork inside Catholic churches and monasteries depicts women wearing a symbol of priestly ministry. Artwork is clearly very subjective even if you do have multiple degrees in art history. For me the decisive point is this, if author’s argument for women priests were correct her Life of Thecla would have Thecla performing the sacrament of Confirmation (laying on his hands) as well as baptizing. That along with the fact that Paul easily could have included a simple one sentence note about women priests in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 just as he did with women deacons a few sentences later are the two fundamental reasons that I don't believe the author's argument for women priests. That being said I still enjoyed the majority of her book.

[@meritscott3936]

Mathew chapter 6 .

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus loves you.the bible

[@razony]

There is no Sin, Satan, Hell, Judgement, Salvation... There is only love from the Divine. Reincarnation/past lives are real. The Millions/Billions of near death/past life experiences is the truth the Divine wants YOU to know. You're only holding yourselves back for living the life, YOU we're meant to live. 'Love Without Fear!'

[@andreastirkey8986]

मेरी मगदालेन जो भी थी वह येसु की सबसे बड़ी भक्त थी आमेन

[@santosmariabrugesarias6883]

Haré un curso

[@Mezzie1957]

Read gnostic gospel of Mary... very insightful.

[@popev3887]

Oh goodness. You are truly an ignorant and unlearned and simple minded if you believe the gnostic heresies such as that gospel of Mary. If you were a learned individual who had studied the gnostics and what the early church fathers wrote about these silly people who tried to insert their silly little foolish Greek ideas about religion into the real and true faith and gospel of Christ, then you would not make such a silly and simple minded statement Christina. Oh well, apparently you are one of those kinds of people who like that sort of thing. Now go back to your silly little Dan Brown novel, etc. and entertain your silly little mind on some more fluff and cotton candy sweetheart.

[@alexandramcleod2079]

Christina do you have a link to this Gnostic Gospel please? Blessings and Thanks

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus.the bible.word of god

[@dan020350]

[@alvaroovallecastrellon4187]

Mary magdalene name today is Victoria Eugenia unzurrunzaga gazmuri

[@Diana-mu8lk]

No, She lives in Europe and only the masons (satanists) know her name today and They want to kill her.

[@meritscott3936]

John 3.16. The bible.word of god.god and his son jesus.the bible.gods word.the bible

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus are one and the same.the bible.word of god

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus.is the judge.the bible.god and his son jesus.the bible .word of god.

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus.is the judge .jesus and his father are one and the same.the bible

[@shepi3498]

Good to see the nuns are sticking to the program strictly enforced by the church. Wouldn’t want any thinking outside the box. She “accompanies” Jesus. AND, the Dead Sea scrolls don’t really exist. Didn’t realize how much I disdain organized religion for needing such power and being such charlatans.

[@meritscott3936]

The bible .Mathew chapter 6.

[@erichansen3641]

Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife. Mary's father ZEBEDEE (the Arimathean), from his prosperous fishing business, funded/GIFTED Jesus' ministry through Mary's marriage DOWRY to her husband Jesus. The Hebrew name ZEBEDEE means "GIFT/DOWRY". Karen King PhD Harvard University says Mary was from a prosperous family in the fishing industry. Rabbis tell us that Jesus, the Rabbi, had to be married in order to teach children - per Jewish Oral Law. The Gospel of Philip indicates Mary and Jesus had a kissing relationship which could indicate something physical, but it could also indicate an imparting of spiritual knowledge to each other. The early Church father, Clement of Alexandria (lived 150 to 215 A.D.) identified the unnamed penitent sinner woman of Gospel of Luke chp. 7 as Mary Madgalene (Joan of Arc's divine TWIN sister, Hebrew noun KEPHEL "the Double", as I like to call her - from JOB 11:6 per the secrets of wisdom). Wisdom is discreet. The "KEPHEL Effect" is part of the secrets of wisdom. Jesus said that in the unseen world of eternity exists many TWINS/DOUBLES which have yet to be made manifest. Examples: Moses/Stephen, Elijah/John the Baptist, Elisha/John Bar-Zebedee, Joseph Prince of Egypt/Daniel, Mary Magdalene/Joan of Arc, Jonah/Simon Bar-Jonah, Saint Catherine of Alexandria/Saint Margaret of Antioch i.e. "Madame Gervaise", etc. These are demigods of the Trinity (lesser incarnations/lesser clones of either of the 3 Trinity Gods: Father Most High God, Son High God, and God Holy Spirit). [The "KEPHEL Effect" is demonstrated remarkably in the 2017 film/musical by Bruno Dumont entitled, JEANNETTE - The Childhood of Joan of Arc. DVD and Blue ray. Here, "Madam Gervaise", the pair of TWIN nuns, impart their divine/dual/synchronous wisdom (JOB 11:6) to the young future savior/martyr/saint, through song and dance. A MUST see!] Perhaps there is also a "KAPHEL Affect"? KAPHAL is the Hebrew verb for Doubling. Perhaps aliases were used in the Gospels (and elsewhere) to divert too much attention away from any single character, to make that character diluted e.g. Gospel of Luke 7, the unnamed penitent sinner woman. Mary Magdalene is the first woman named at the beginning of Luke chp. 8. That should be a clue to us. Wisdom is discreet. [This is remarkably demonstrated in the Catholic OT canon, Book of Tobit, where the archangel Raphael goes incognito as Azariah, son of the great Hananiah - a kinsman of Tobit. Azariah and Hananiah are the Hebrew names of Abednego and Shadrach in Book of Daniel. Azariah means "God helps". Hananiah means "God favors". Shadrach/Hananiah is the archangel Gabriel. Raphael/Azariah/Abednego "helped" Tobias recover the family fortune and find a wife. Shadrach/Hananiah/Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary she was "highly favored of God." History tells us that Michael/Meshach/Mishael was the archangel assigned to Joan of Arc. Michael is the archangel who commands the armies of heaven. He mentored Joan of Arc in the art of waging war. ] Mary Magdalene went to France in 45 A.D. and died there in 75 A.D. (See Golden Legend). Mary Magdalene and her TWIN (KEPHEL) sister Joan of Arc (from the village of Domremy, not Arc) are together: "THE LIGHTS OF FRANCE!". Mary and Joan are the HIGH goddess/demigod of the Holy Spirit God. It is not in the divine nature/essence of the Holy Spirit God to manifest in all its fullness as Jesus has as the fullness of the Son of God, High God. Mary and Joan embody the 3 holy spirits of: Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles. There is also evidence that the 3 Josephs: (The Carpenter or Stone Mason, The Sanhedrin Member and rich man and secret follower of Jesus who provided the family tomb for Jesus to be laid in, and the apostle candidate to replace Judas the Traitor) are all the same Joseph who has gone incognito, not simply vanished from the Gospel story. All 3 are called "just" men. Joseph was kicked out of the Sanhedrin after Jesus' death for plotting to remove Caiaphas the High Priest who condemned Jesus. [This idea is remarkably demonstrated in the 2016 film, RISEN, starring Joseph Fiennes. Here, Joseph of Arimathea has the largest part I have ever seen in a story about Jesus. One gets the distinct impression that this Joseph is the father/dad of Jesus. Joseph even hugs and comforts the Virgin Mary at the crucifixion of her son. Another oddity in the film is that Mary Magdalene is portrayed as somewhat of a Joan of Arc figure. In the film, Mary turns, stops, and gut kicks a Roman soldier chasing her, then Mary leaps out the window to escape the building. These are both very Joan of Arc moves. Mary is also interrogated after capture and thought to be a witch. This is also very Joan of Arc reminiscent. ]

[@marysheffield2956]

Thank you so much. You have given me lots of avenues to check out.

[@marshroanoke]

Mary Magdalene is the feminine counterpoint to Jesus Christ just as Eve is for Adam. And just as Jesus is the second Adam that implies the existence of a second Eve.

[@meritscott3936]

God and his son jesus.the bible.

[@v1i0k3o7]

Womenshouldsaythemass.

[@willquimbo3654]

With due respect to Sis. Barbara Reid, what your going to create here will only lead to greater confusion and controversy. Another interpretation of the Holy Bible, especially in this century, is the last thing you can do. What we need is to follow with real intention the commandments written therein.

[@Hummmminify]

Oh for Heaven's Sakes" women have been pushed out of the teachings of Jesus by design..by design of the Church after about 400 A.D. and before that they were teachers and preachers of Jesus' Teachings. Therefore, the greatest religious event in the history of Christianity, has been subverted by no other than the Christian Institutions. Why does anyone need priests anyway....what we need are teachers of Christ's Teachings, men or women it doesn't matter. Also, if women were so elemental in bringing in Christianity should they not be given back their roles today?

[@pippick1946]

Will, I would agree, we need to follow the real intention of the commandments, love God with our whole hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves. These are the two Great Commandments of Jesus. I think Sister Barbara's lecture was inspiring and will give my experience of lectio a new dimension. I don't see a lot of confusion here.

[@KC-xw2ms]

In Luke, his writing shows us that Jesus respects these women, what could possibly be wrong with Luke portraying Jesus seeing these women as just as worthy of Gods redemption as men? That’s what this lecture from Sister Reid is wanting to show...we are ALL worthy of Gods forgiveness and love through Jesus IF we ask for it. Just as the gentiles were as worthy of Gods love as much as the Jews. Things radically changed when God in flesh showed up on this planet and walked...how is easy to believe that God could become man but that women couldn’t possibly hear from God the way that a man could?

[@popev3887]

Oh goodness. I came here to look for inspiring material and teaching on Mary Magdalene, and what did I get? I got some misanthropic diatribe about a conspiracy by Saint Luke to eviscerate the role of Mary Magdalene in the ministry of our Savior Jesus Christ. Barbara Reid's conspiracy theory stands shoulder to shoulder with other great conspiracy theories such as NASA faked the moon landings, or NASA scientists are secretly studying ways to engineer earthquakes, or that the earth is really flat and that all those photos from space are just faked and are part of conspiracy! Saint Luke traveled and travailed for many years in the cause of Christ and finally died a martyr's death by being hanged from an olive tree. Barbara Reid on the other hand, sits ensconced in her air-conditioned office in luxury and there she spews forth like a burst SEWER pipe spreading a flood of pathogenic and noxious waste across the airwaves. My, my, my, I am so glad that the Roman Catholics have her! Barb sweetheart, just remember, that someday you will be held accountable for all of your words. You are truly disgusting individual for suggesting this conspiracy theory about Saint Luke.

[@J.B.1982]

Sounds like avoiding the truth

[@octavianapanait1918]

The wamen were kind of used..with no mercy and no rights..and Jesus wanted to change this atitude..but the apostles Lord knows..least some of them never changed..unfortunatelly..

[@mpress469]

"Wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" - Mark 14:9 Spiritually speaking (gender aside), matriarchal wisdom can begin with a fundamental understanding of the cyclical nature of reality (God). Represented by the snake in many creation myths, the living cycle has a trinity of a beginning (head), a middle and end (tail). As above so below, the sexes were created in the image of God's cyclical nature where Mother is the head and opening to all beginnings and Father holds the tail to all endings (through which the sowing of seeds allow for the next great matriarchal rebirth).The joining of the two (symbolized by the Ouroborus or the marriage ring) is the sacred union needed in assuring the creation and continuation of new life cycles. To speak of the present day God as "Our Father" is simply an admission to our collective positioning within the bigger cycle. As all mothers have direct experience with the creator quality of birthing, so is the direct experience of rebirthing the divinity within (baptism) belong to that which is spiritually matriarchal. (John 3, verse 3-8). Sekhmet statues (ancient Egyptian) carry most of their weight in symbolic memory of what was a mother culture dedicated to the direct experience of baptism. As the leg shaped hairlocks extend from maternal breasts to the womb of rebirth, the lioness's head proportions are such that they highlight the bust of a second animal figure. The Lioness's ears as eyes and eyes as nose (nostrils) brings to life the figure of a reptile. 'Neath the halo headress of the solar egg, the lioness's egg fertilization process being internal (Set) and the reptile's egg fertilization process being external (Setting), such being key components to the safety of entering the trans-egoic or "born again" state. The life threatening fear associated with the predatory nature of a lion and/or crocodile encounter are reflective of the intense ego death experience associated with the transpersonal awakening process. In spiritually matriarchal times, illumination could be seen as wearing the false beard (ancient Egyptian funerary ego death mask) as the high state of cyclical self knowing; high cyclical awareness of both our upper matriarchal half and our lower (later) patriarchal half (compared with a mini lower body replica, an "as above so below" tail end beard extension); in full recognition of her civilizational Underworld; her inevitable cyclical destiny. The male pharaoh wears his beard tapered in reverse, indicating a pointing upwards towards the patriarchal head, divine representative of God's tail end cycle. We can now see that Mary's anointing and wiping of Jesus's feet with her hair is pure "Head to tail" (feet) imagery as she descends her matriarchal head to his patriarchal feet, thus enacting the understanding of the cyclical process. (John 12, verse 3) To carry the Ankh was perhaps to symbolically carry that upper and lower understanding. As the upper matriarchal womb symbolised the fertile birthing of civilization, below, the now Christian cross is carried to place emphasis on the lower (later) "End Times" Father principle of the great cycle. Ganesha, the elephant headed Hindu diety, displays a cyclical head to trunk symbolism and points to the Mother head of his matriarchal elephant society. A whole temple was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor, who is the matriarchal "Uterus" personified. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGHQYa2AiKp5gZI "See all women as mothers, serve them as your mother. when you see the entire world as the mother, the ego falls away. See everything as Mother and you will know God." - Neem Karoli Baba

[@popev3887]

Oh goodness. I came here to look for inspiring material and teaching on Mary Magdalene, and what did I get? I got some misanthropic diatribe about a conspiracy by Saint Luke to eviscerate the role of Mary Magdalene in the ministry of our Savior Jesus Christ. Barbara Reid's conspiracy theory stands shoulder to shoulder with other great conspiracy theories such as NASA faked the moon landings, or NASA scientists are secretly studying ways to engineer earthquakes, or that the earth is really flat and that all those photos from space are just faked and are part of conspiracy or...my favorite conspiracy theory of all...The early church FAKED the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Saint Luke traveled and travailed for many years in the cause of Christ and finally died a martyr's death by being hanged from an olive tree. Barbara Reid on the other hand, sits ensconced in her air-conditioned office in luxury and there she spews forth like a burst SEWER pipe spreading a flood of pathogenic and noxious waste across the airwaves. My, my, my, I am so glad that the Roman Catholics have her! Barb sweetheart, just remember, that someday you will be held accountable for all of your words. You are truly disgusting individual for suggesting this conspiracy theory about Saint Luke.

[@maijaliepa119]

Equal Opportunity Offender You Like Being. Bully Towards Women for some reason. If u dont like this info - dont come here. Just stay in your lane at your own Sunday Services.? Why come here if u know u r going 2 be triggered into a rage towards others, mostly women. Jeshua was/is a Prince of Peace.🐠🐡🐠🐡🐠🐡♥️🙋‍♀️♥️

[@Tiny578]

No female disciples.