Magdala, in Aramaic, means fortress, or tower. Now perhaps, the town of Magdala, where Mary came from, had a fortress of some kind. But Schrader suggests that Mary Magdalene is not named solely for where she comes from, but for who she is. Both Peter and Mary Magdalene confess Jesus as Lord. Peter is the Rock, Mary is the Tower. This is theologically meaningful. It suggests that confessions like these are both the foundation and the pinnacle of our faith. They are our starting point and the culmination of our journey with Christ.

Sometimes the beliefs that once helped us understand God can become the very things that keep us from recognizing God. Like the Pharisees, for all of our sophistication, we can miss God’s handiwork right in front of us.