Mary Magdalene and the women apostles knew their time with Yeshua was limited and the thought of witnessing another traumatic death was more than they could bear. Yeshua assured them that he would just be leaving and going to directly to Unee this time that they had nothing to fear. She couldn’t understand why he would leave again.
Carry on his work, treat everyone with dignity. He also said cure those whose sight is blinded by this world and help them see a better world. Help the lame stumbling through life, suffering because they can’t see beyond their own perceptions. Raise up those who are lonely feeling unloved and not valued and let them know they too are essential.
How do we do this without him? He said the women would show the world by their actions caring for others and showing compassion for all.
I loved you from the beginning. You were given the gift to draw in new souls through your bodies. You draw the spirit of these souls to you as a bridge that connects our world with the spirit world. You are so strong that you bleed, but you do not die. From the beginning you understood my message, when shown love you respond with love despite your hardships.
That is the spirit the world needs to embrace, to love everyone and care for them and that is the spirit running through you.
I chose you, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, my mother’s sister-in-law, Mary of Bethany and Martha sisters of Lazarus, Joanna, Salome and Susanna to be my Apostles, my teachers because you live my teachings. I chose you and you have always been my loyal friends. You stayed awake and prayed with me in the garden, you stayed with me as I walked to my death and through my agonizing death on the cross – you never left me. I chose you to see my empty tomb and to see me resurrected.
Others may say I chose the 12, but it is not true. Those who will just look at my choices and my actions will know this is the truth, it can not be denied. Those with eyes to see will see, with ears to listen will hear this truth. There is no mystery here, only truth. I chose you, the 7 seven women because 7 is the number of completion. I completed my work on Earth and you will carry on my ministry to completion. I am truth.
Everyday was surreal, Mary Magdalene (MM) and the other women felt suspended knowing things would not continue like this. Joanna, Salome and Susanna would watch trying to pretend things were normal, knowing it was never going to be the same. Most often MM, Mary of Bethany (MB) and Martha would be speaking to Yeshua, they could see the sadness growing in MM’s eyes. He told them they must carry on, that they must share his message and not let his teachings fade away. He told them to be strong that things would change, but only after more conflict. He started mentioning how he would be leaving again and this time he would not return right away. He said the world needed to hear his message and embrace it freely, to really understand that peace and love was the only way to ending suffering.
Peter and the others had seen Yeshua as well, they too were shocked and stunned by his appearance. They all were afraid. They all hid from the Rabbi’s and the Romans. They avoided all of the townspeople and prayed.
The men finally left and went up the mountain to Gallilee. Yeshua said he would stay with the women and then they would meet them at the lake.
MM would whisper with Mary of Clopas (MC) long into the night sometimes crying and rocking. This was so hard for her, she loved Yeshua so dearly and could not face losing him permanently. None of them knew how they were going to go on without him. They were so happy he returned, but a deep foreboding weighed on them all.
There will be a time I will leave you, you must begin making preparations now. I have taught you much about the Kingdom which is not of the power and might of this world. You must begin teaching what I have taught you about peace and non-violence. I have instructed you that the meek will inherit the Earth, it is the poor in spirit, not those headstrong and dominant, who will lead.
I have chosen you, Mary Magdalene to lead the others, Mary of Clopas, Mary of Bethany, Martha, Joanna, Susanna and Salome because you have heard my teachings and understand them. You can live these teachings as an example to others. Organize in your homes with your friends as I met with you in your homes, those who have the capacity to learn will hear and follow. Do not judge anyone, teach them, lead them by your example. Love them. Power and might are not my way, nor is attention seeking and hierarchy. You are my friends, I have invited you to follow me and you have chosen to, you do the same with others.
His next instruction was clear, lead by knowing and living, so they began to organize.
He had appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to the other women, the Myrrh Bearers who had accompanied Mary Magdalene (MM) to his tomb. He had instructed MM to tell Peter and the others. They knew he would return! He wouldn’t just leave them! The day following his return they remained elated, relieved he had returned so soon, joyously anticipating what they would do next.
He took MM aside and told her again that those of the world didn’t understand true power and wisdom. He said he purposely appeared to her first and then the other women so they would understand their significance once again. He reminded her that they stayed awake and prayed with him in the garden, he chose them to accompany him to his cross and bear witness to his death, he chose them to first see him resurrected. It was important that they fully realized, fully grasped what he was doing. He was elevating them, he was demonstrating to them – and the world – that those perceived as weaker would be made strong, those who were meek were going to inherit the Earth. This was his living example.
Yeshua went on and reminded them they were the righteous ones, they were the peacemakers, they would be merciful and they were pure in heart that is why he chose them.
Joseph had him taken down from the cross and Mary held him in her arms. She rocked him, she held him close to her, her tears mixing with the blood on his face and then running down his cheek. We all surrounded her, our cries turning to hoarse moans. We were sobbing, holding each other. We prayed that somehow he could come alive, that somehow he would stand again as Lazarus did. His body just grew colder.
They said they had to take him. Joseph arranged that he would be placed in a new tomb. We watched as he was carried away, watched as they placed him in the tomb and rolled the stone to close the entrance. We left him there alone, in the dark, in the tomb. How could he be dead and we go on living?
We were dizzy with fright; the men still scattered, worried they would be next as the Rabbis stood smugly watching us from afar. The townspeople walked away, some shocked at what they caused to happen, some self righteously spitting on us as we stumbled by. We went back to the garden.
The next day, still in shock, we knew we had to prepare the burial spices. We had anointed him with myrrh at the last supper, and now we would prepare his body for burial. We were in the garden, somehow still expecting him, thinking he would return. We could still hear him, remembering what he told us and startling at every noise. He came to give strength to the weak because love has no limits. He said we would pass down what we had learned to our children and our children to their children generation after generation until the time was right. Then we would speak and his message would be heard through us.
But for now, we the Myrrh Bearers would gather our oil and our spices and prepare ourselves to see him again tomorrow.
Temple of Why 