THE EDITOR, Sir:
CAROLYN COOPER'S eulogy for Louise Fraser-Bennett, published in The Sunday Gleaner, eloquently bespeaks the 'naturally mystic' persona of that lioness of a Jamaican woman. The mirth in Queen Cooper's Jamaican patios version of the King James' 'foreign English' version of the Bible story of a reformed 'Mary Magdalene' is an apt, but humorous, parallelism of Louise's own reform.
Nonetheless, great story, wrong woman.
Mary Magdalene first appeared in the Good Book at Luke 8 being possessed with evil spirits (seven duppies) in addition to being a sickly woman. Jesus healed her and from that day onward she was numbered among the unsung women disciples. Mary Magdalene was indeed no sketel.
Another of the six Marys, Mary of Bethany, was the sister of Martha and Lazarus and she was also not a sketel (John 12). She probably hated cooking so she spent her time listening and anointing the Master's crown and feet with costly oils.
Sister Carolyn mistakes the above anointing of Jesus' feet with the anointing episode of an unnamed woman in Luke 7:36. It was this woman, publicly regarded as a sketel, who was a 'fingle-fingle' Jesus, which caused the Pharisees to pass dem remarks.
Lovely homage, Miss Cooper.
I am, etc.,
CLAUDE WILSON
jaclaudew@yahoo.com
Via Go-Jamaica
