Meeting Margaret Starbird and Exploring Mary Magdalene

I was excited to meet renowned author Margaret Starbird on a recent trip to Seattle. Margaret’s work on the secret tradition concerning the possible marriage of Mary Magdalene and Jesus, and her work in uncovering the model of the union between masculine and feminine in the sacred texts of the Bible and the gnostic tradition, has been profound and illuminating, both from the point of view of revealing the symbolism inherent in many works of religious art, and from the historical wisdom tradition that exists in The Gospel of Mary, The Gospel of Thomas and other non-canonical works. Her books such as The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, and Mary Magdalene, Bride in Exile, have had a profound effect on my own deeply held suspicions and convictions about not only Jesus’ early life and ministry, but the lost legacy of the role of Mary Magdalene in early Christian history: as the pillar of heart wisdom mysticism and the Apostle to the Apostles; a woman who was mistakenly cast as the penitent sinner, instead of the spiritual leader that she truly was, and beloved companion to Jesus. Starbird’s work and also that of authors such as Cynthia Bourgeault have spurred my desire to continue working on a major project concerning this topic.

I pose this question: so how does this story – the story of the Apostle to the Apostles – fit into the wider story of Jesus of Nazareth? And how does this story challenge the narrative that we have been given about Jesus, and about Christianity generally? Does it in fact enhance the story – or rewrite it? More will be revealed…

Pope Francis receives a copy of 'Listening to the Wisdom of the Desert'

Was thrilled when my boss for my ‘Tree of Hope’ program, Fr Peter Carroll msc gave a copy of my book Listening to the Wisdom of the Desert (Garratt Publishing, 2017), to Pope Francis in Rome recently. The book has a chapter devoted to Francis’ universal message, so I couldn’t be happier.

The Power of Story

Story can be a powerful thing. I recently completed a half day workshop in Sydney with human rights lawyer, humanitarian and former British army soldier, Rabia Siddique on this very topic – the power of story. It helped me link in with all manner of ideas about how the personal and professional stories in our lives can intertwine – how we can use the wisdom of our own journeys, our own narratives, with their highs and lows and integrate them into a core powerful story that serves us and helps us serve others. Talking about what we know can have a potential positive ripple effect on other people’s lives.

Her workshop also helped remind me to pay attention to both the successes and failures in my life as they help clarify purpose. A reminder that despite the questions there is a bigger path operating in my own life.