Soulfood

Trauma Will Not Have the Last Word

Trauma is real, present, and at times it feels like it has won. But it is not the end! Jesus rescues.

Mary Magdalene is a woman of deep trauma. She is a feeler. She became a disciple of Jesus – she followed him with all that she was, following him through Judea and Galilee. She was a woman of privilege who gave up all she had to follow Jesus.

Mary Magdalene’s story starts in Luke 8:2 – she was a woman who was delivered from seven(!) demons. Seven is the number of completeness. She was completely oppressed by demons. Demons are portrayed in the New Testament as those who bring profound sufferings, tormenting body and soul, spirit and mind. They “shatter,” “seize,” isolate. Mary lived with seven demons until Jesus delivered her! She received physical relief. She received hope. She received back her will (agency). She heard and saw the good news of the coming Kingdom as she followed the King.

Mary knew what it was to receive grace and embrace when she does things she doesn’t understand. She would have known of Peter who had faith to walk on water but lost heart – and when he lost heart and began to sink, Jesus pulled him out of the water and brought him back into the boat and loved him. Mary and the other disciples had assurance that Jesus would love them no matter what.

Mary knew what it was to be loved even when past trauma controlled her present emotions. She knew of the Samaritan woman at the well who was suspicious of Jesus and exposed by him, who was overwhelmed by his kindness. Mary knew that kindness that draws us out of our controlling fears into comfort and safety.

She knew and saw the Jesus who never abandoned them that abandoned him. A day is coming for us when we will never be able to doubt Jesus’ love for us!

The step out of trauma into healing is seeing Jesus the way Mary Magdalene saw him.

Mary was there at the crucifixion (John 19:23). She watched her beloved friend mocked, beaten, lied about, helpless to do anything while soldiers were dividing his possession among them, only able to mourn.

And Mary was there at the tomb (John 20:1-18). She experienced tremendous loss – her Jesus, her hope, was taken away from her! – and suffering, as her experience told her that trauma won. Being there, she experienced the moment when the good news was first proclaimed! Jesus speaks her name and everything changes. The resurrection hope floods back in and overwhelms the trauma. She sees Jesus! And Jesus knows her. When he speaks her name, she knows she is known by one over whom death has no power and that makes all the difference!

Jesus knows my name. Jesus knows your name. Jesus speaks your name and my name to the Father, and our names are written in the book of life. There is nowhere else to go for words of life. And those words belong to us who are in Christ Jesus!

We are Christ’s treasure. We are his inheritance, for glory. The final word over our life is that Jesus knows our names. Amen!