Joel Tabora, S.J. posted: " [Homily: Live-streamed Mass, July 22, 2021.] Fifty years ago Frank Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar first appeared on Broadway. Perhaps, on this Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, it's not irrelevant to recall that production's portrayal of "
Fifty years ago Frank Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar first appeared on Broadway. Perhaps, on this Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, it's not irrelevant to recall that production's portrayal of Mary Magdalene's relationship with the Superstar who has apparently awakened her love. As you know, it is a tender and vulnerable love. It affected her. It changed her. And scared her.
In the Gospels, Mary of Magdala is one of a group of women who accompanied Jesus and his twelve apostles "as they journeyed from one town and village to another preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom" (Lk 8:1). These women provided for them "out of their resources", and so were not poor. It may be imagined that they took care of their needs in food, clothing, and whatever shelter they required on their journeys. Mary Magdalene is also identified as the woman "from whom seven demons had gone out" (cf Lk 8:2-3), exorcized possibly by Jesus himself. She was close to Jesus, not only having listened to his sermons and seen the way he interacted with the sick and healed them, but was also pained witness to his suffering, death, burial and all that happened afterwards. She was among the first to discover the empty tomb. As our Gospel for today recounts, having witnessed the tomb empty, she wept. She did not know who had taken him away, nor where they had brought him. But the Gospel also recounts how she was the first human being to encounter the Risen Lord. "Why are you weeping?" he asked her. She told him. They had taken Jesus away; she did not know where they had brought him. Then he said, "Mary!" And she recognized him (cf. Jn 20:15-16).
In the 8th century, in a series of homilies delivered by Pope Gregory, Mary of Magdala was identified with Mary of Bethany, despite the fact that Magadala is in Galillee and Bethany in Judea. Since then, this has become a popular interpretation in the Church. Mary of Bethany was the sister of Martha and Lazarus. When Martha complained that Mary wasn't helping her, but was just sitting at his feet listening to him – or gazing into his eyes - Jesus defended her, saying she had chosen the better part (Lk 10:38-39 ). Mary is also identified with the woman who before his crucifixion anointed his feet with precious oil and wiped them with her hair. (Mt. 26:6-13; Jn 11:1-2). It was an anointing which showed the depth of her understanding of the ordeal he was to suffer. This insight could well argue for the identity of Mary of Bethany with Mary of Magdala.
In Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary of Magdala and Mary of Bethany are one and the same person, intimately close to Jesus, yet alienated from him by the shame of past sin; feeling unmoved by him, yet feeling changed; feeling profoundly loved by him, yet not knowing how to respond. I think that recalling the lyrics of her famous song originally sung on Broadway by Yvonne Ellmann can awaken us to our own struggles in loving him. Or today, beyond recalling lyrics, sing it. But sing it as a prayer.
I don't know how to love him, What to do, how to move him. I've been changed, yes really changed. In these past few days when I've seen myself I seem like someone else
I don't know how to take this I don't see why he moves me He's a man. He's just a man And I've had so many men before in oh so many ways. He's just one more
That is what many of us reduce Jesus to: just another man. And yet, as just another man, he so overpowers us/me, my independence, my freedom, my arrogance in willing to fall and sin that crazily I feel I need to defend myself against him. But defend myself against love? I'm so confused!
Should I bring him down Should I scream and shout Should I speak of love? Let my feelings out? I never thought I'd come to this! What's it all about?
Yes, what's it all about?
Don't you think it's rather funny I should be in this position? I'm the one who's always been So calm, so cool No lover's fool Running every show He scares me so.
Like when Jesus approached the man possessed by an unclean spirit, the spirit cried out scared: "Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!" (Lk 4:34). Or like when Peter experienced the holiness of Jesus in the unexpected catch of fish, he exclaimed, "Get away from me, Jesus, for I am a sinful man" (Lk 5:8) Or, like when we speak of fear of the Lord. Which is not really fear for oneself, but fear of messing up before the Lord. Fear of missing the Lord. Fear of not being adequate to love. Because of love.
I never thought I'd come to this! What's it all about?
Yet, if he said he loved me I'd be lost, I'd be frightened I couldn't cope, just couldn't cope. I'd turn my head, I'd back away. I wouldn't want to know. He scares me so I want him so I love him so.
But Jesus does say he loves me. It's his Word on the Cross. It's the Word of his Father. It's his Word of whispered Love.
It frightens me. I turn my head. I back away. The attraction, the revulsion; the desire, the denial; the confidence, the fear; the exhiliration, the compulsion are all part of the religious experience of divine love. "For the love of Christ impels us," Paul said. "He died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Cor 6:14-15).
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