ABSTRACT:

One of Magdala’s big dynamic themes emphasizes how connected we are.

However, many folks feel isolated or even depressed today despite the fact that we exist essentially to be embraced and to embrace, to be cherished and to love. Furthermore, science progressively reveals how we are all interconnected.

Magdala celebrates that our cultural treasures are shared across boundaries.

We, as persons, ultimately hold the maximum relationship potential. We are the real crossroads! Mary Magdalene exemplifies this superbly.

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Could Mary Magdalene also be a crossroads for transformative encounters?

Becoming Crossroads People

Our May and June Crossroads articles sing Magdala’s crossroads melodies inspired by her archeology, new architecture and art, all while dancing with our culture of encounter. To say it daringly: they are mere shadows of much more powerful crossroads!

Scientists constantly show us how all material things in our cosmos are interconnected. The ancient word cosmos communicates a sense of universal order and beauty. Similarly, the human sciences uncover how our lives are interrelated. Seemingly faraway epidemics, technology failures and acts of violence impact our local neighborhoods.

In fact, our very nature as persons establishes us for relationship building.  

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We are all Relationship People

There is a myriad of ways we become significant in each other's lives. Just imagine how one wedding initiates a whole range of new relationships. It is quite the private matter whom a person marries, yet it is simultaneously a very public matter, directly transforming many ‘unrelated’ people immediately into one family.

Nevertheless, before all of that, from the first moment of our existence, we are beings for others, even when particular relationships have not yet unfolded. We come into being and exist from the relationship of loving parents and emerge on “life's stage” as their beloved child. No wonder family is so important!

There will be a time for our flower to blossom.

We are meant to blossom.

It might just take a little more time for our petals to open!

The essence of a person is to be in relationship! One becomes a parent when one begets and gives birth to a child. One becomes a brother or sister when the first sibling arrives. Without neighbors, we could not be neighbors. We become employees when we sign up for a job with our employer and thereby, we also become co-workers with our colleagues.

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The reality, however, is often quite challenging for most of us.

One of our biggest challenges is to be open to others!

We often close ourselves off to others. We exclude others. We build walls.

We destroy bridges, we blockade, we barricade, … the exact opposite to a culture of encounter.

We do this out of fear.

We sense danger.

We suspect more danger.

We are afraid.

We enclose ourselves.

We refuse contact.

We demonize others.

We define them as our enemies.

We declare war on them, even if it remains a protracted cold war!

In any case, we are easily exhausted!

Our limited time allows us to socialize only with some people.

Our limitations of space & travel restrict potential encounters with everybody.

Our finite energy limits our ability to converse. We need a break.

We become exhausted, unable to engage with even just another person.

A history of hurt, shame, or prejudice hampers our ability for a personal encounter. ‍

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Becoming Crossroads People

If every creature connects us to the entire universe and to our Creator, how much more can each person become a bridge to every neighbor, especially the neediest one, nearby.

We develop as people who can meet each other beyond all boundaries of languages, culture, religions and in every field of development. Everyone is welcome: individuals and multitudes.

Some people are richly endowed personalities and optimal magnets for encounter.

Certain characteristics, traits and life stories become very attractive and draw us closer to discover each other, encounter each other, and bond with each other. We can develop ever deeper and more fulfilling relationships.

Every woman, by the very nature of her sensitivity, compassion and readiness to assist the needy, right here and now, is a most privileged point of durable, intense and quality encounter for a diverse range of people.

In fact, every person is a place designed for encounter. From the frivolity of the most superficial hobbies to the powerful, mystical pondering of Imago Dei (we are made in God’s image), we find countless points of potential encounter.

On that horrible October 7th morning one Jewish woman survived because a picture of Messi, the soccer player. Barcelona soccer emblems hung in her living room. The terrorist invading her personal space was also a Messi fan. They spoke about Messi and soccer. The terrorist left! She was spared on that dreadful day. We can all offer some points of encounter to someone or anyone and enhance many lives.

Mary Magdalene an enduring crossroads

“I have seen the Lord” can stun, disturb or delight the believer. From Mary's first glance of Jesus in Galilee, while dealing with her many troubles, to her consummate vision in Jerusalem following his Resurrection, we welcome her now as the first human witness of the new creation. Mary was the proto-envoy to the disciples, apostle to the apostles.

Seeing the Lord provokes a dialogue and changes her life. Maybe our lives can change also.

Her life becomes a bridge for us. Her vision can become our vision. We need to stop her in her messenger-haste and ask her what has happened. Do modern areligious presenters enter her zone with a burden of worldliness for profit, or selfish indulgence? Do some seek an exodus from deep personal confusion or hopelessness? “Mary Magdalene is anti-hero. I like her. My favorite person. She's an "unconventional protagonist”, remarked a secular Jewish lady from overseas, last week.

Believers along the way can also relate to her as they find themselves close to her at any of the other milestones which also marked her life: her years leading the other women in dedicated volunteer service to Jesus and his nascent community; her hours of deep sorrow and sadness, accompanying her ineffable benefactor’s way of the cross; some later imaginable periods of tensions and contradictions, which may have marked the fledgling community during the years and decades after Pentecost. Close to her, they also encounter Jesus: “whatever you did for the least of these you did for me”.

Mary Magdalene, indeed, draws many very different people together; women, men, sinners, disturbed or rejected folks, saints in progress, people of very differing religious outlooks or none at all.

‍Each one of us is the real crossroads and place of encounter with so many different people throughout our days and years. Our smile, our personal history and culture, our quiet service, our attentive listening, our person, overflowing with best wishes for others, is the real crossroads for everyone far and wide.

Get to know...‍

Khaleel Dahley

“If you love your job, you will succeed”.

It was fun talking with Khaleel about his family. He is the tenth generation of his Muslim family living in Tauran, a village with a view of Mt Tabor, Cana and Upper Nazareth, only twenty minutes by car from Magdala.

While we were speaking, Khaleel called his son-in-law, Kheir, an engineer graduated from Technion University who married Rawan, a biology and chemistry teacher.  Kheir knows the family tree back to 1680 when their first direct ancestor came to Tauran. Up to that point, it was a Christian village with about 30 homes. Now it counts about 15,200 inhabitants, 3,322 of whom are Dahley family people. Kheir mentioned a tradition that says Jesus stopped in their ancient village.

Khaleel studied Hotel Hospitality at former Hotel Dvir School in Haifa and Restaurant Management at Tadmor in Herzliya. Since then, he has worked in hotels, except for three years, when he went to a bank. He got bored sitting down in an office all day, counting other people’s money. So, he returned to hospitality because he loves it: “If you love your job, you will succeed”. Khaleel, a Head Waiter, is always smiling as he serves our guests.

Khaleel married at 25 and is blessed with four children and eleven grandchildren. A Jewish man recommended him to work at Magdala. He only regrets he didn’t come sooner. “From the very first day, I felt I had been here for so long. Magdala is a new family for me”.