“Easter Morning” by Jen Norton. 30×40″ Acrylic on Canvas, $6000
I was somewhere in my early 30s when the story of Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Christ really resonated with me. I had lived enough to see inconsistencies in how men and women were treated in the professional world. I had questioned church teachings and wondered whether Jesus was just another social revolutionary. I had racked up some sins by then and was probably in need of transformation. And then in a crowded Easter service, I was given the gift of the story of Mary Magdalene encountering the risen Christ. There was something new and different that spoke to me that morning and it started a deeper pondering of who Christ was and how I fit in His plan. In a world of men, if Christ chose a woman to first reveal himself in risen form then there must be more to the value of the feminine spirit than I had believed.
And yet, she doesn’t recognize him at first. Not until He calls her by name. Why? I think one reason is that we women are conditioned to believe we are not worthy just as we are. From the time we are small, we are told and sold all kinds of products and philosophies to make us “better.” And by “better,” I mostly mean “sexier,” as in more willing and available to men. That same philosophy, by the way, is used on men to tamp down their softer sides in favor of machismo. (Nice guys finish last, right?) In both cases, we are losing the sacred feminine, the spirit of compassion that intuitively understands the Resurrection, the way to be Christ-like, the way of surrender.
In her sorrow and fear, maybe Mary’s old beliefs and perceptions started to creep back in. Maybe Mary doubted herself and everything Jesus promised. But when Jesus says her name, “Mary,” she is suddenly reminded of who she is, everything she had become through knowing Him. She is re-aligned with the truth. It can be the same for any of us who are willing to walk with Christ. The lies of the world fall away and we see clearly that we are all we need to be, just as we are. We see that we are not to block and hold our own ego intact, but are to give away our light to a darkened world. We are not to “cling” to the man who was Jesus like our own personal boyfriend, but instead allow His ascended Spirit to flow through us. Racism, sexism and violence toward humanity and creation seem ridiculous to the enlightened Christian soul.
In this painting, the lamp held by the women represents our man-made light. Ego, inventions, hard work… anything we seek to control and call our own. In the distance is the sunrise, God’s gift to divide our earthly days between work and rest. And finally, the light of the Resurrection, shining brightest of all… the light that we cannot extinguish.
The “Easter Morning” original painting is available at The Sacred Art Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. Contact geri@thesacredartgallery.com.
