Mary of Magdala Daughter of Love: An Unsung Hero

By Howard Seeley

In the last book, Barabbas of Jerusalem, we followed his footsteps as he walked on the road with Jesus and then beyond. Now we will follow that same path, but this time, we'll be in Mary Magdalene's sandals. Come with her as she starts out in life, with an extraordinary mind, living in a well-to-do family. As she grows up, all the challenges she encounters in her life help her to prepare for a life of not just following Jesus but also walking by his side. As she goes down this road, she discovers the problems, which have haunted her in the past, have come back into her life. Now she must find a way to stop this problem from hurting Jesus and his mission. Is she willing to sacrifice her virtue to do so? As Mary shields Jesus from her adversary, she finds herself being drawn closer and closer to Jesus until she falls completely in love with him. Will the temptations Jesus and Mary face overpower them and make them do Satan's will? It is now time to return to AD 30 and watch God's plan for the world unfold before us. Let's watch this miraculous wonder through the heart of Mary, the daughter of love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645158103

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Mary of Magdala Daughter of Love

Howard Seeley

Copyright © 2019 by Howard Seeley

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Prologue

Magdala, 4 BC

I.

Dinah waited outside next to her house. For a while now, she knew her world was going to change. Mama said, Soon, she was going to be a big sister and would have to look over the baby and help it grow to be strong and healthy. I promised her I would do my best. But for now, I have to wait.

Morning turned into afternoon. A neighborhood woman ran in and out of the house, occasionally checking on Dinah and making sure she was fed and taken care of. A cry of pain came from the house. She ran back in and heard Mahlah, the matriarch of the town, barking orders to the other women. It was a breeched birth, and they couldn’t get the baby turned properly. There was a lot of bleeding, and they knew it was coming down to either saving Eunice, the mother, or the unborn child. Either way, it looked like the mother had little chance of surviving.

Then Mahlah made the final decision. Eunice would want the child to live. She instructed the other women to hold down Eunice as she prepared to open up her stomach with a sharp knife. Please forgive me, Mahlah said. This is going to hurt, but it must be done to save the baby. Eunice looked in fear at the knife but nodded in agreement as to what had to be done.

Four women held down her limbs as Mahlah made the deep incision. Eunice screamed in agony and passed out from the pain. Mahlah removed the baby and cut the umbilical cord. She massaged the baby’s stomach and patted its back. The baby cried its first breath of air. It was a girl. Eunice started to take deep rapid shallow breaths. After a few minutes, the breaths slowed down and then eventually stopped. Eunice never saw her daughter.

Mahlah instructed one of the girls to bring Eunice’s husband back. She stepped out and prepared herself to deliver the bad news. Not only did his wife die, but also she died giving birth to a girl child. She looked down and saw Dinah standing next to her. Child, would you like some fresh figs? asked Mahlah. Dinah’s eyes opened wide in excitement, for she was quite hungry.

Mahlah smiled and called another girl out to take Dinah to the market and buy some fresh figs to eat.

As they left for the market, the first girl returned with Eunice’s husband, Hagar. Mahlah broke the news to Hagar and explained what happened. He was distraught but recovered quickly. Everyone knew the dangers of pregnancy and the risks involved. He went into the room and paid his last respects to his wife and saw his new daughter. Through this mixture of sadness and glad tidings of having another child, even a girl, he decided to name her Mary.

When the second girl returned with Dinah, Hagar and Mary were waiting outside for them. Hagar squatted down and looked at Dinah in her eyes. My little princess, said Hagar. I’m so sorry to say this, but your mother won’t be returning with us. She has fallen asleep and can’t be wakened, but don’t worry for she has gone to a better place.

Dinah thought about it for a minute. Don’t worry, Papa, she said. We’ll be fine. I promised Mama I would watch over the baby and make sure she is healthy and strong. She then wrapped her arms around her father and gave him a big hug.

Hagar began to cry. Don’t cry, Papa. Everything will be fine, said Dinah. She was two years old.

II.

Hagar was brokenhearted from his wife’s passing, but being a businessman, he knew things had to be done no matter what the circumstances. Through Mahlah, he decided in hiring a wet nurse, a full-time housekeeper, and a nursemaid for his daughters. He knew how to run a business like the back of his hand, but as for running a household, he knew he was out of his league.

He had one of the girls present to take his daughters to his sister’s house for the evening. Afterward, he went to the local rabbi and arranged for his wife’s burial. When this was completed, he returned to Mahlah’s house and found she located and hired the servants for him and they would be available in the morning.

Hagar checked the list in his mind and found nothing left to fulfill. He walked to the lakeshore and looked at the stars. Viewing the vastness of the night sky, he felt small and helpless. God of Abraham, he said, you have blessed me and given me riches and wealth beyond my dreams, and I will thank you forever for your great blessings. But please let me know what I have done to displease you so as to take the one I love away from her daughters and me.

He waited but there were no signs from heaven. There were no falling stars, no lightning, no thunder. He turned and headed for his sister’s house. There was no way he could return to his empty house and sleep. And even at his sister’s house, sleep evaded him that night.

Chapter 1

Magdala, AD 5

Hagar was a very successful businessman. He owned a small bank and was savvy on how to invest the money his customers deposited in it. He paid fair interest rates to his customers, and he made sure anyone who borrowed money from him would pay it back on time. He was a kind man to the community, but when it came to business, he learned you had to run it without a heart.

Dinah and Mary came by often to visit him. Dinah loved to dote on him, but Mary was very curious to see how the business worked. Nonstop, she asked questions about everything that happened there. Dinah would get annoyed. Because of the questioning, he ended up spending more time with Mary than her. After the visits, Dinah would give Mary a hard time, but by the time they reached home, all the hard feelings were gone, and they were two happy sisters again.

During the week, they learned what all girls learned at that age: how to cook, clean, and shop for food. But Hagar wanted more for his daughters. In the evening, tutors would come to his house and teach them how to read, write, and do mathematics. He wanted to enable them to fend for themselves if hard times fell upon them. Dinah was an average student, but Mary took to her studies like a fish in water. Her tutors were shocked to see how fast she learned and how much knowledge she retained. It wasn’t long before they couldn’t teach her anymore. At nine years old, Mary knew as much as her tutors.

Hagar knew he had a priceless asset in his youngest daughter, but he also remembered, you don’t pick a fruit off a tree until it’s ripe. To further Mary’s education, he hired a former teacher who used to teach scripture studies to fledging rabbis. Hagar wanted Mary not only to best anyone mentally but also philosophically.

Dinah continued her lessons with the regular tutors. Sadly, though, her jealousy for her sister grew more as time went along. She felt inferior to Mary even if she was two years older than her. Sometimes, it would get to a point where she felt she almost hated her, but then she would remember her promise she made to her mother so many years ago. Mary may be a prodigy, Dinah said, but still she is my baby sister. After recalling this memory, she was able to temper her jealousy and continue on in her daily life.

Mary enjoyed the challenges Maadiah, her new teacher, gave her. As time went on, she was able to hold her own when debating him, and sometimes, she even won. Maadiah decided, along with theology and philosophy, Mary should learn Greek and Latin as well. God had given a great gift to Mary, but being born a girl might prove to be insurmountable to overcome. Society would not accept a woman of prominence trying to live in a man’s world. And as for marriage, this too would probably be something she would have to suffer through. Living her life as a mere wife, mother, and housekeeper and denied living a life of intellect and wisdom would kill her spiritually if not physically. Yes, Mary was blessed, but that blessing was a double-edged sword.

"Domine, possumusiam Latina?" (Sir, can we practice Latin now?) Mary asked.

"Itanoster. De primo," (Yes, Mary. Let’s begin,) Maadiah said. This was just the beginning.

Chapter 2

Magdala, AD 8

At age twelve, Mary began helping her father at the bank. It was simple work for her but still kept her busy. She checked and rechecked everyone’s accounts and reconciled them. She then examined all the investments and reorganized his company’s portfolio.

Profits for the past six months had increased by thirty percent. Hagar was very pleased with his daughter.

His thoughts moved to Dinah. She just turned fourteen, and it was time to find a husband for her. Finding prospects wasn’t the problem. She was beautiful, bright, and from a good family. The problem was there were too many good choices for a husband. Mahlah would probably know which ones to weed out, and hopefully, the choice would be easier to make.

It was times like this when Hagar wished he had remarried. A wife would have taken care of this problem before the time of marriage even came close. But he didn’t. He was absorbed in his business, and his daughters were well taken care of. The need for a wife never took a priority in his life. What is, is, he said.

Mary was another problem all together. No family would want to take her into their house.

There was no way she would bow her head to her husband and agree with everything he said without thought. He also thought about her happiness. She would have to find some her equal or higher in order for her to truly love him. It would be a miracle for her to find someone like that. Placing that thought in a compartment in his mind, Hagar decided to cross that bridge when he arrives at it.

It was near the end of the day when Mary closed the ledger. Papa, she called, I’m done for now. Can I stop by the market on my way home? There was no need to ask, for she knew Papa never said no to her. Still rules and traditions must be followed even if they don’t make sense, just like her going to the market every day. Papa smiled at her and said she could go.

As she walked to the market, she made up a song at sang it to herself. Everywhere you go, I will always be with you. As she passed the stalls of the vendors, she waved and said hello. Everyone smiled and returned her greetings. Magdala wasn’t a large town, and it seemed she knew everyone living in it.

As she walked down the road, she recalled something Maadiah once told her. The Spirit of God dwells in all of us, he said, and since there is only one spirit, it binds us all together and makes us one with God. So in essence, if you love God, you must love your neighbor, and everyone is your neighbor, including the ones you don’t know or like.

Mary thought this was one of the most important things he taught her and always tried to put it into practice. She assumed this was why she enjoyed going to the market so much. It was like visiting her family and celebrating God’s love. She continued to sing, And I will always be with you wherever you go.

As Mary approached the edge of the market area, she saw a new face looking at her from one of the stalls. She stopped and introduced her herself. Good day, sir, she said, and peace be with you.

The vendor locked eyes with her. Peace be with you too, young lady, he said. Welcome to my humble shop. As you may notice, I sell lamp oil, lamps, wicks, and other items in this area. Perhaps I could sell you some lamp oil. How often have you run out of oil at the most inopportune time?

Mary couldn’t remember any time they ran out of oil, but she thought, I guess it’s possible. She said, Thank you, sir, but I think we have plenty of oil at home. But I’ll tell everyone about your shop and make sure they stop by to see you.

Thank you, young miss, he said. Tell them to ask for Simon—Simon of Iscariot. They will be glad they stopped by.

I will. Goodbye, sir, she answered. She walked away. Curious, she thought. It seems like he thinks more with his pocketbook than his heart. She let that thought go. Who was she to judge anyone?

As she approached her house, she could hear Dinah complaining to the servant. She shook her head. It’s just one of those days today, she said. Everywhere you go, I will always be with you, and I will always be with you wherever you go.

As Mary left the market, Simon turned to his neighboring vendor. Interesting, young girl. Who was she? he asked.

Her? the vendor asked. That was Mary, the daughter of Hagar, the banker. Why do you ask?

Simon turned away without replying. The banker’s daughter, he thought. How can I use this information to my advantage? How old is she? Around twelve or