Magdalene Community at Grace Episcopal Church

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Opening Greeting

Solo:      Peace be with you.

All:        Acquire my Peace within you.

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene   (Jean-Yves Leloup translation)

[…”What is matter?

Will it last forever?”

The Teacher answered:  “All that is born, all that is created, all the elements of nature are interwoven and united with each other.

All that is composed shall be decomposed;   everything returns to its roots; matter returns to the origins of matter.

Those who have ears, let them hear.”

Peter said to him: “Since you have become the interpreter of the elements and the events of the world tell us:

What is the sin of the world? (1)

The Teacher answered: There is no sin. It is you who make sin exist, when you act according to the habits of your corrupted nature; this is where sin lies.

This is why the Good has come into your midst.  It acts together with the elements of your nature so as to reunite it with its roots.”

Then he continued:  “This is why you become sick, and why you die:  it is the result of your actions;  what you do takes you further away.

Those who have ears, let them hear.”

“Attachment to matter gives rise to passion against nature.  Thus trouble arises in the whole body;

This is why I tell you, ‘Be in harmony…’ if you are out of balance, take inspiration from manifestations of your true nature.

Those who have ears, let them hear.”

After saying this, the Blessed One greeted them all, saying:  “Peace be with you – may my Peace arise and be fulfilled within you!

Be vigilant, and allow no one to mislead you by saying: ‘here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’  For it is within you that the Son of Man dwells.  (2)

Go to him, for those who seek him, find him.

Walk forth, and announce the gospel of the Kingdom.”

“Impose no law other than that which I have witnessed.  Do not add more laws to those given in the Torah, lest you become bound by them.”

Having said all this, he departed.

The disciples were in sorrow, shedding many tears, and saying:  “How are we to go among the unbelievers and announce the gospel of the Son of Man?  They did not spare his life, so why should they spare ours?

Then Mary arose, embraced them all, and began to speak to her brothers:  “Do not remain in sorrow and doubt, for his Grace will guide you and comfort you.  Instead, let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us for this.  He is calling upon us to become fully human [Anthropos].”

Thus Mary turned their hearts toward the Good, and they began to discuss the meaning of the Teacher’s words.

Peter said to Mary:  “Sister, we know that the Teacher loved you differently from other women.  Tell us whatever you remember of any words he told you which we have not yet heard.”

Mary said to them:  “I will now speak to you of that which has not been given to you to hear.  I had a vision of the Teacher, and I said to him: “Lord I see you now in this vision,’   And he answered:  ‘You are blessed, for the sight of me does not disturb you.  There where is the nous, (3) lies the treasure.’

Then I said to him:  ‘Lord, when someone meets you in a Moment of vision, is it through the soul [psyche] that they see, or is it through the Spirit [Pneuma]?  The Teacher answered:  ‘it is neither through the soul nor the spirit, but the nous between the two which sees the vision, and it is this which […]’”

          (several pages missing)

“And Craving said: ‘I did not see you descent, but now I see you rising.  Why do you lie, since you belong to me?’  The soul answered: ‘I saw you, though you did not see  me, nor recognize me, I was with you as with a garment, and you never felt me.’  Having said his, the soul left, rejoicing greatly.  Then it entered into the third climate, known as Ignorance.  Ignorance inquired of the soul:  ‘Where are you going?  You are dominated by wicked inclinations.  Indeed, you lack discrimination, and you are enslaved.’  The soul answered: ‘Why do you judge me, since I have made no judgment?  I have been dominated, but I myself have not dominated.  I have not been recognized, but I myself have recognized that all things which are composed shall be decomposed, on earth and in heaven.’  Freed from this third climate, the soul continued its ascent, and found itself in the fourth climate.  This has seven manifestations:  the first manifestation is Darkness:  the second, Craving; the third, Ignorance;  the fourth, Lethal Jealousy; the fifth, Enslavement to the Body; the sixth, Intoxicated Wisdom; the seventh, Guileful Wisdom.  These are the seven manifestations of Wrath and they oppressed the soul with questions:  ‘Where do you come from, murderer?’ and ‘Where are you going, vagabond?’  The soul answered:

‘That which has oppressed me has been slain; that which encircled me has vanished; my craving has faded, and I am freed from my ignorance.

I left the world with the aide of another world; a design was erased, by virtue of a higher design. Henceforth I travel toward Repose, where time rests in the Eternity of Time;  I go now into Silence.’”  Having said all this, Mary became silent, for it was in silence hat the Teacher spoke to her.

Then Andrew began to speak, and said to his brothers:  “Tell me, what do you think of these things she has been telling us?  As for me, I do not believe that the Teacher would speak like this.  These ideas are too different from those we have known.”

And Peter added:  “How is it possible that the Teacher talked in this manner with a woman about secrets of which we ourselves are ignorant?  Must we change our customs, and listen to this woman?  Did he really choose her, and prefer her to us?

Then Mary wept, and answered him:  “My brother Peter, what can you be thinking?  Do you believe that this is just my own imagination, that I invented this vision?  Or do you believe that I would lie about our Teacher?”

At this, Levi spoke up:  “Peter, you have always been hot tempered, and now we see you repudiating a woman, just as our adversaries do.  Yet if the Teacher held her worthy, who are you to reject her?  Surely the Teacher knew her well, for he loved her more than us.   Therefore let us atone, and become fully human [Anthropos], so that the Teacher can take root in us.  Let us grow as he demanded of us, and walk forth to spread the gospel,, without trying to lay down any rules and laws other than those he witnessed.”

When Levi had said these words, they all went forth to spread the gospel.

Call to Conversation

Closing Reading

One Whisper of the Beloved – Rumi

Lovers share a sacred decree –

To seek the Beloved.

They roll head over heels,

Rushing toward the Beautiful One

Like a torrent of water.

In truth, everyone is a shadow of the Beloved –

Our seeking is His seeking,

Our words are His words.

At times we flow toward the Beloved

Like a dancing stream.

At times we are still water

Held in His pitcher.

At times we boil in a pot

Turning to vapor –

That is the job of the Beloved.

He breathes into my ear

Until my soul

Takes on His fragrance.

He is the should of my soul –

How can I escape?

But why would any soul in this world

Want to escape from the Beloved?

He will melt your pride

Making you thin as a strand of hair,

Yet do not trade, even for both worlds,

One strand of His hair.

We searched for Him here and there

While looking right at Him.

Sitting by His side we ask,

“O Beloved, where is the Beloved?”

Enough with such questions!-

Let silence take you to the core of life.

All your talk is worthless

When compared to one whisper

Of the Beloved.

NOTES

1.      The Greek word for “sin” – hamartia – is translated as “to miss the mark.”

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene,  Jean-Yves Leloup, pg. 50.  (2002)

2.       “Son of Man” – Karen King translates the term as “child of true Humanity.”

The Magdalene Mystique,  Betty Conrad Adam, pg. 140.  (2006)

3.       “Nous” – Karen King translates the terms as “mind”.  The Magdalene

              Mystique, Betty Conrad Adam, pg. 144.  (2006)