Mary Magdalene Page #2

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And that is God's.

(VILLAGERS CHATTERING)

And God's kingdom

is taking root.

So we must prepare.

You must wash away the stains

of your corruption

and be born anew.

Like children.

I have been hidden for too long.

And now you hide.

Each one of you.

Behind the semblance

of your faith,

you recite your songs

and present your sacrifices

as if your hearts and spirits,

your service to God, were what?

And afterwards, you go back to your

lives and do what pleases you,

what suits you,

what makes the days upon this

Earth pass easily for you.

Like dreamers.

But wake up, Magdala.

Open your eyes.

Look at the people

in Galilee and Judaea suffering,

crying out for help,

for mercy, for justice!

Look at the crosses

on the hills of Jerusalem.

MAN 3:

Blame the Romans!

JOSEPH:
Our holy city held

hostage to Roman jackals.

MAN 4:

Jerusalem is lost to us!

MAN 5:

Who will deliver us?

(VILLAGERS CLAMORING)

Can your faith be held hostage?

(CLAMORING STOPS)

Listen.

In the silence.

Is there something

calling?

Do you have the courage

to follow what you hear?

Will you align yourselves

to the will of God

until every act of love,

every thought of care, and every

breath is taken in union'?

That is faith.

And that faith

will have you feed the

suffering to ease their pain.

And it is that faith,

your faith,

which will lead you

to God's kingdom.

(VILLAGERS MURMURING)

Come. Come, Magdala.

Come to the water.

- ANDREW:
Come, brother!

- JAMES:
Be born anew!

ANDREW:

Join us!

I baptize you with water

for your repentance.

Into the light of God,

born anew.

By being what we are, may we

become even what he is himself.

- MATTHEW:
Come. Join us!

- PETER:
Come, brother.

MATTHEW:

Praise God!

- JAMES:
Be born anew.

- MATTHEW:
Join us.

ANDREW:

Come. Jesus is here.

The kingdom is coming.

PETER:
I baptize you into repentance.

Into the light of God, born anew.

- ANDREW:
Join us!

- PETER:
May we become even what he is himself.

- MATTHEW:
Praise God!

- ANDREW:
Come, brother!

I baptize you into repentance.

Into the light of God, born anew.

We have given nothing.

(VILLAGERS CHATTERING)

- MAN 1:
Look

- MAN 2:
She can see!

MAN 3:

Praise God!

MAN 4:

The great prophet is among us!

(VILLAGERS CHATTERING

EXCITEDLY)

MAN 5:

He is the Baptist!

MAN 6:

The Baptist raised from the dead!

MAN 7:

God is working through him!

- JUDAS:
Please be patient.

- PHILIP:
Don't push.

Please, don't push.

JUDAS:

Be patient.

Stay back.

JOHN:

Please be calm. Please be calm.

- Please wait.

- JUDAS:
Please, don't push.

Move back!

JOHN:

Please, be patient!

Don't push, please.

(VILLAGERS CLAMORING)

The devil's prophet!

The devil's work!

- The devil's prophet!

- PETER:
Rejoice!

For the kingdom of God

is coming!

There are too many!

Rejoice!

Come, brothers. Be born anew!

Don't push.

ANDREW:

Stay calm.

JUDAS:

Peter!

Peter!

- PHILIP:
Don't push me. Don't push.

- ANDREW:
Stop pushing.

Rabbi. Come back to us.

Come back.

- PHILIP:
Be patient.

- JOHN:
Don't push!

PETER:

Come away, woman. Come away.

JOHN:

Calm down. Be patient. Don't push.

Please, please, be patient.

PETER:

Andrew, Andrew, hold them!

ANDREW:

Stop pushing.

MAN:

He is the devil's prophet!

(CLAMORING CONTINUES)

(BABY GURGLING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(PANTING)

The rabbi is leaving today.

All those men with him, Mary.

You'll be lost.

I'm lost here.

We are your family.

No man will touch you.

Daniel won't take you back in.

Never.

Please.

I can't.

Daniel!

Daniel!

ELISHA:

Mary!

Mary!

ANDREW:

What troubles you, sister?

What have you said to her?

What have you promised her?

I'm her father.

She belongs with me.

We've asked nothing

from your daughter.

Peter.

Would you separate

a daughter from her father?

Is that God's way?

Daughters from fathers,

sons from mothers.

What will you do with her?

JUDAS:

She will follow him.

Just as we do.

- Come away, Mary.

- JOHN:
That's far enough, brother.

- I said, come away!

- Hold on.

- JOHN:
Stay back!

- ELISHA:
Daniel!

JOHN:

Stay back.

What's she doing?

- Mary!

- JOSEPH:
Daniel, don't!

- Daniel!

- DANIEL:
Mary!

- Mary, come back!

- JOSEPH:
Stop!

- DANIEL:
No!

- JOHN:
Calm down! Calm down!

- Don't do that.

- JOSEPH:
Stop.

How is this God's will?

Huh?

No man can decide that!

No man!

JOHN:

Stay calm, please.

I baptize you with water

to cleanse you.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

I baptize you with light

and with fire.

I baptize you to be born anew,

awake, and ready

for the day to come.

(EXHALES)

She will divide our community.

We should welcome her.

Why shouldn't she follow him?

People will judge us.

Don't look.

It's easier that way.

(WHISPERS)

He's talking to the angels.

PETER:

We will rest here tonight.

Peter's little boy used to sit

at the rabbi's feet and sing.

The sweetest thing.

Hmm.

I think it broke Peter's heart

to leave him.

Do you have children?

One. A girl. Esther.

And where is she now?

In the ground.

There was a drought

in the hills where we lived.

There was hardly any grain.

But Herod still sent his

agents to take their due.

When I refused,

a Roman officer came,

and I had to give

my entire crop.

My wife was pregnant.

She didn't have the strength

to fight the hunger.

I'm sorry.

The kingdom is coming, Mary.

Soon. I can wait.

I can be patient for that.

When the dead, the beloved dead,

will rise up and walk

amongst us whole and well.

It's been promised, Mary.

In the kingdom,

I will see my family again.

PHILIP:
What happened with

that crowd was dangerous.

JOHN:

He put himself in danger.

We can't risk that kind of riot.

The angels

were working with him.

You could see.

God was with him.

It's the miracles.

What? You question them?

Of course I don't

question them, Judas.

JOHN:
Look, we want the

people to rally, to rise up.

Slowly. Slowly,

we spread the word.

We strengthen

in numbers and then...

When we are sure

of the support...

Jerusalem.

Passover

That is where it begins.

I've never heard our rabbi

talk about this plan of yours.

He shouldn't have to

talk about it.

Because he doesn't

need to, Peter.

All he needs to do is say the word,

lift his hand, and the seas will part.

The Roman palaces will crumble.

And the heavens will rain down

blood on the oppressors.

PETER:

Look, we will draw up a strategy, huh?

An agreed strategy.

But just one word of sedition

to the Romans, Peter...

How many men have cried

the coming of the kingdom

and found their fate

lay on the execution block?

Or the cross, if someone

were to shout, "Messiah"?

By then the kingdom of David

will have truly begun.

I didn't know

we were to be soldiers.

No, sister.

We are just a group of men.

Unarmed.

ANDREW:
And how many Roman

guards in Jerusalem alone...

The prophet spoke of peace,

a "Prince of Peace."

Perhaps those who have

not been with us long

should keep their counsel, eh?

Everyone should be

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