Kempe's Resurrection Of Mary Magdalene

According to St John, Mary Magdalene is the first witness of Jesus’ resurrection at his grave (John 20: 11-18). Thus, this passage from Kempe shows the priority Jesus gives to his mother by appearing to her first. The second point is the obvious intimate relationship between Jesus Christ and his mother. He prioritizes his mother: He kisses her and allows her to touch his body when others are forbidden to do so (e.g. Mary Magdalene in the same chapter 81 is forbidden to do so). Perhaps it is because, after his rising, Mary also reaches a state of “Holiness” as Christ describes to be, unlike others.

The Virgin Mary literally collaborates with her son for the salvation of human creation. In Kempe’ s vision on the Via Dolorosa where Kempe herself takes part, Mary proposes to help her son to bear the heavy cross; Jesus in turn falls down to comforts a fainting Mary as best he can (Windeatt 346). In other words Mary has a major role in the Via Dolorosa, as much as Jesus. She and Jesus jointly work by helping and comforting each other while carrying out the salvation of mankind.

According to Kempe (Windeatt 382) Christ claims that the Virgin Mary is fully aware that He does not forget Margery Kempe and that His merciful eye will never leave Margery, the same way Christ’s Mother has told her so many times. Another example is when the Virgin Mary (the evening after Christ’s burial) comforts a remorseful Peter and tells him not to be scared because, although Peter forsook her Son (Jesus Christ), her son never forsook Peter and He will come [after the resurrection] to comfort them all very well (see Windeatt 353). It is obvious here that, the Virgin Mary not only holds her role as a witness of her son’s love and faithfulness to His lovers, but also constantly reminds and reassures them of His loyalty and