Goddess Murder, 12: Awakening

XIV. Awakening

[From The Gospel According to Mary, as translated by C.T. Edwards, A. Healy, L. Moresco, and S. Wise]

As I stood praying, I heard a voice say, “Mary.” I looked up and saw an angel, blazing with light. But then I recognized him. I cried out “Rabbouni!” and fainted at his feet.

He reached down with his right hand and raised me up, saying, “Do not be afraid, my beloved. I have awakened from among those who sleep. I know who I am, and I am everyone.”

“But how . . .” I began.

“Do not be concerned about how the Father has done this. Have faith that he has done it and will do it for all his children. I raise you up, for I now I can raise you up with me into the love of the Father and the Mother. Go tell my brothers that I am going to my Father and your Father. Tell them that the Kingdom is already upon you, though men do not see it. Tell them to remember me, and you shall be with me in Paradise. Mary, go now.”

When I awoke, I found myself lying on the ground. I got up and ran to Peter’s house, where his students were gathered. I said to them, “I saw the Lord in a vision! Our Rabbi is alive! I have seen him!”

But his brother Judas Thomas said to me, “Sister, that is not possible. How could he who has been murdered by the Romans return to life?”

(For we did not yet know the scriptures which said that he must be raised on the third day.)

There was a sound like a rushing wind. Suddenly he was there among us. The room was filled with light, and our hearts were filled with joy.

He said, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid.”

Many of us thought he was a spirit, but he said, “Touch me. I am not a spirit.”

Peter touched him and said, “Come, touch him. You cannot touch a spirit. He is truly alive!”

And many of us touched him and believed.

He said to James, “My brother, eat your bread, for this Son of Man has awakened from among those who sleep. Bring me the books of the Prophets.”

We hurried and brought the scroll to him. As we turned it for him, he explained to us the passages that prophesied that he should be raised from the dead. Then he said to us,

“Beware that no one is leading you astray, say­ing, `Lo here!’ or `Lo there!’ For the Son of Man is within you. Fol­low after him! Those who seek him will find him.

“Those who have no portion in the world to come are those who say there is no resurrection of the dead in the law, and that there is no revealed law from Heaven, for I have walked in the law. Go, preach the good news of the Queen of Heaven with your whole spirit to all nations, for the Father wills that all nations shall inherit the Queen.”

Andrew asked, “Shall the Gentiles then share in our inheritance?”

He replied, “Are the fingers of the hand exactly like one an­other, or the ears of corn in the field? Do all trees bear the same kind of fruit? Doesn’t each bear fruit according to its own nature? All who do the will of my father shall be in the kingdom. So do not worry. Truly, I tell you, you are my siblings and my companions in the kingdom, for that is my Father’s good pleasure, yet those whom you teach and who do his will shall have that expectation also.

“Truly, I tell you, my Father is He who keeps his covenants with those who keep them also, for such is his nature. All who keep the commandments given to Moses shall have their reward, as will those who abide by the covenant with Abraham. All flesh shall see the Queen of Heaven, for my Father and your Father made a covenant with Noah that all flesh should be saved, that all who keep the commandments given to Noah shall see the Queen as well.

“Mary, the queen of my flesh, knows the will of my Father. She shall teach you the mysteries I have taught her.”

When he had said this, suddenly he vanished from among us, but we did not see which way he went.

Many of the students wept, saying, “How can we preach to the Gentiles? If they did not spare him, will they spare us?”

Peter said to me, “Sister, we know that our Rabbi loved you more than all the other women. Tell us what he told you that we have not yet heard.”

I replied, “”He explained the mysteries of the Queen to me in secret, that the unworthy might not hear them. He did not permit teaching these mysteries to men or women who do not give off light, but what is obscure I will ex­plain to you. There are mysteries that are only for women, but I shall teach you as much as I am allowed.

“The King and Queen of Heaven are our Father and our Mother. They, being our true parents, love us. Our Rabbi taught that we must love one another with our whole minds, our whole spirits, our whole bodies, as they love one another. We must teach the ignorant that he has told us to make the bridal chamber, saying, ‘Blessed is the one who will remain concealed in it.’”

Then I taught them some of the mysteries that our Rabbi had told me must always be learned from mouth to ear.

“Have you forgotten, brothers, that the Lord says, `I am your God, not the God of the Betrayer’? Harvest the word you have forgotten, brothers, that you might see the Queen of the holy spirit. Let us go preach the Queen to all nations, as he commanded us, not laying down any rule or law beyond what he said.”

When the brethren heard this, they agreed with me, and began to go forth to preach the good news of the Queen of Heaven.