22 July 2011: St Mary Magdalene

Among the few who remained with Christ during his agony on the cross. With two other women, she went to his tomb and found it empty. It was to her that our Lord first appeared after his resurrection; and asked her to announce his resurrection to the apostles. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1580)

Mary Magdalene at the feet of Jesus
“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. ... he went into the Pharisee’s house and sat down to eat. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.” (Lk 7:36-7)
How much it must have cost her to brave human respect in this way! She was entirely possessed by the love of Jesus who had delivered her from seven devils. She was impatient to prove her sincere repentance, and to make a public reparation for the scandal she had given. An opportunity arose; she eagerly seized it.
Let us learn from this to follow the impulse of grace promptly and generously. To seize upon all the occasions which Providence gives us of doing good, and especially of repairing the harm caused by our bad example. And for this end to brave, if need be, human respect, the ridicule or criticisms of the world.
As soon as Magdalene saw Jesus, she went straight to him, and “going behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet with tears, dried them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment” (cf Lk 7:38). Mary Magdalene shows us what ‘perfect contrition’ is: deeply sorrowful and with ardent love, her only regret is that of having offended God.
At the feet of our confessor, who, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, represents Jesus Christ, let us try to fill our hearts with perfect contrition. It shall bring us a total remission of our sins, the strength to resist temptations, and overcome all obstacles to our sanctification.
The Pharisee who had invited him, seeing it, said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner” (Lk 7:39).
Jesus quickly came to her defence -- “Simon do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears. ... You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. ... Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven; ... go in peace’.” (Lk 7:44-50)
God’s infinite justice for those numerous faults into which, from human weakness, we fall daily can be satisfied by what our Lord says: ‘Love much, and many sins will be forgiven you.’ Frequently, make acts of love, even only these words: ‘My God, I love you; pardon me for having offended you.’
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp460-62

Our search for God at every moment
Mary Magdalene set out for the tomb as soon as the Sabbath rest permitted, “while it was still dark” (Jn 20:1), to find the dead body of our Lord. Some time previously he had freed her of an evil spirit (Lk 8:2), and grace quickly bore fruit in her soul. She followed the Master faithfully on some of his apostolic journeys and served him generously with all her possessions. During the crucifixion, she remained near the one who cured her of all that was wrong in her life. (cf Mt 27:56) When they lay Jesus in the tomb “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there in front ...” (Mt 27:61).
After the Sabbath, “as the first day of the week began to dawn” (cf Mt 28:1), she set out with the other holy women for the tomb to anoint the dead body of Jesus. But the Lord was no longer there! She saw the heavy stone rolled away and the tomb empty. “Then she began to run to Simon and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them: ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him’ (Jn 20:2).”
Peter and John went running toward the empty tomb. St John tells us that this moment was crucial in his life: “he saw and believed” (cf Jn 20:8). Both apostles “went back to their home again” (Jn 20:10), but Mary stayed, weeping. Still not believing in the Resurrection, with great sadness, she perseveres in her vigil, not wanting to leave the place where she last saw our Saviour.
The only one who remained expecting to find him, she alone encountered him. “Perseverance strengthens good deeds and as the voice of Truth informs us: ‘Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved’.” (St Gregory the Great, “Homilies on the Gospels”, 25, 1-2) St Augustine comments: “She sought him among the dead and he presented himself alive. He calls her by name, ‘Mary’.”
Let us not stop seeking Jesus in every circumstance of our lives; even during moments in which, if the Lord so permits, discouragement or darkness penetrates our soul. He is always very much in touch with the events of our life though we may not be aware of it.
Today we ask St Mary Magdalene to gain for us a share in her loving perseverance in seeking the Lord. ‘By her prayers and example may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord and one day see him in glory.’
In heaven we will also contemplate Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, who has never left our side. With a special joy we shall see all those to whom we shall have so often borne witness through our friendship that the risen Christ continues to be present among us.
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:19-25
Cheerfulness
“You are not happy because you make everything revolve around yourself as if you were always the centre: you have a stomach-ache, or you are tired, or they have said this or that ...
“Have you ever tried thinking about Him, and through Him about others?”
Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 74)

• Our Lady “do la Garde”, near Marseilles. The Queen of heaven is much honored in this church where every Saturday, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed from midnight till noon. There are seen more than thirty large silver lamps, with a quantity of branches of coral of extraordinary size. — Chronicon Massilliense. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Safety or Safe Hiding (near Marseilles). Overloon, Holland. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of Safety / Safe Hiding. Marseilles, France; Overloon, Netherlands. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)