04/04/2026
I know this is Holy week and Jesus' big gig in the sky but there were women who silently stood by him in everything he endured. They did not deny him three times nor did they betray him with a kiss.
In fact, the women surrounding Jesus played a very pivotal and important role that carried him through to the end. They always say that behind every great man is a woman and Jesus is no different, except he had a group. His group of women followers were not remembered as Apostles, like the men, but had equally or dare I say even more important roles to Jesus on earth.
In the week leading up to his death, he was anointed by a woman, it is unclear where, as it is depicted 4 different ways in 4 different gospels but the jist is that everyone was mad that the ladies anointed Jesus with the expensive ointment. The argument was that the ointment could have been sold and proceeds given to help all people, but instead, it was wasted on Jesus. Jesus' response to this was that the women were preparing him for future burial. It was the women whom stood by him during the crucifixion and burial.
They were the witnesses whom found his tomb empty and declared him risen.
They had hastingly buried him before sundown in accordance with Jewish tradition and the women were coming back with proper spices for burial when they found his empty tomb.
Mother Mary, St. Mary Magdalene, Blessed Joanna, Susanna, St. Salome, St. Mary of Clopas, and many others unnamed are indeed a special collection of women to know. It is Luke's gospels that give a formal introduction to these women. At the start of his eighth chapter, he presents them as a unique cluster from the region of Galilee who ministered to Jesus from ātheir resources.ā
Luke also lets us know that at least some of these women had suffered terribly and found healing.
Mary Magdalene
āThe gospels simply say āMary was healed by Jesusā and after his death, she is the first witness to the Resurrection.ā Mary was just one of several female disciples who not only followed Jesus but may have bankrolled the entire movement.
Of all the holy Galilean women, Mary Magdalene is the most prominent. Three evangelists name her specifically as being at the Crucifixion, two at the burial, and all four Gospel writers put Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. Matthew, Mark, and John also assert that she saw and spoke to the risen Christ.
Blessed Joanna
Luke, chapter eight, says that Joanna āhad been cured of evil spirits and infirmitiesā and accompanied Jesus and the Apostles, and āprovided for Him from their substanceā.
Joanna, was the wife of Herodās steward, Chuza. Joanna had a close connection to Herod Antipas the Tetrarch. This would have made Joanna a rich woman of high status living in the city of Tiberias, the playground of the wealthy elite on Galileeās western shore at that time.
According to Luke, Joanna, along with other women of Galilee, saw two men in dazzling clothes at Jesusā empty tomb, learned of Christās resurrection, and shared the great news with the apostles - who did not believe them!
Susanna
Susanna is mentioned one time only, in Lukeās introduction to the Galilean women. So we can only glean that she, like Mary Magdalene and Joanna, had been cured of some demon or malady, traveled with Jesus and the apostles, and offered assistance in whatever way she could. Susanna was credibly present at the Crucifixion, burial, and empty tomb.
St. Mary of Clopas
St. Mary of Clopas is especially hard to pin down in the Gospels, for she is referred to by a variety of titles:
Mary, the Mother of James and Joseph;
The Other Mary;
Mary, the Mother of the Younger James and of Joses;
Mary, the Mother of Joses;
Mary, the Mother of James;
Mary, the Wife of Clopas
Although she doesnāt stand out like Mary Magdalene, one variation or another of her titles appears in the death, burial, and empty tomb scenes repeatedly.
Matthewās Gospel asserts that both Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas saw and heard Jesus that first Easter morning.
St. Mary Salome
Salome was one of the women who followed Jesus and served him (Mark 15:41), witnessed His Crucifixion and death at Calvary (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40), and brought spices to embalm him on Easter morning. She is also said to be a healer.
It takes a village, and these women were Jesusā.
God bless you!
