† Saint Quote:I have seen the Lord! St. Mary Magdelene - John 20:18 Meditation quote“Strong passions are the precious raw material of sanctity. Individuals who have carried their sinning to extremes should not despair or say, ‘I am too great a sinner to change,’ or ‘God would not want me.’ God will take anyone who is willing to love, not with an occasional gesture, but with a ‘passionless passion,’ a ‘wild tranquility’. A sinner, unrepentant, cannot love God, any more than someone on dry land can swim; but as soon as a person takes his errant energies to God and asks for their redirection, he will become happy, as he was never happy before. It is not the wrong things one has already done that keep one from God; it is present persistence in that wrong. Someone who turns back to God, as the Magdalene and Paul, welcomes the discipline that will enable him to change his former tendencies. Mortification is good, but only when it is done out of love of God. … Mortifications of the right sort perfect our human nature; the gardener cuts the green shoots from the root of the bush, not to kill the rose, but to make it bloom more beautifully.”
—Venerable Fulton Sheen, p. 185 Daily VerseBut Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. Jn 20:11-18
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EWTN Daily Saint
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St. Mary MagdaleneSaint of the DayPatron Saint of: Converts, penitents, hairdressers, and perfumers
Feast Day: July 22 St. Mary Magdalen (1st c.) was a friend and devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Formerly she had been a woman of ill repute out of whom Jesus exorcised seven demons. Mary Magdalene has a special place among the Lord’s disciples and is mentioned several times in the Gospels.* She stood at the foot of the Cross with St. John and the Blessed Mother, and went the next morning to Christ’s tomb to anoint his body. As a reward for her great love and faithfulness, she is the first recorded witness of Jesus’ Resurrection. It was Mary Magdalene who informed the twelve Apostles that Jesus rose from the dead—for this she is called “Apostle to the Apostles.” After Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, Mary Magdalene continued her mission as an evangelist, contemplative, and mystic in the heart of the Church. According to the Eastern tradition, she went to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary and died there. St. Mary Magdalene is the patron of women, repentant sinners, penitent women, reformed prostitutes, contemplatives, converts, pharmacists, perfumers, hairstylists, and against sexual temptation. Her feast day is July 22nd. *The Morning Offering recognizes that there are varying views on the identity of St. Mary of Bethany and St. Mary Magdalene. You can read articles from the Vatican concerning this topic here: Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship on the celebration of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, in the General Roman Calendar. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles.
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Feast of Saint Mary MagdaleneLectionary: 603 Reading 1Song of Songs 3:1-4b The Bride says:
On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–
I sought him but I did not find him.
I will rise then and go about the city;
in the streets and crossings I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.
I sought him but I did not find him.
The watchmen came upon me,
as they made their rounds of the city:
Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
I had hardly left them
when I found him whom my heart loves. OR2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come. Responsorial PsalmPsalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 R. (2) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way?
I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelJohn 20:1-2, 11-18 On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him." Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her.
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Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ!
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From Word Among Us WAU.org
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Daily Meditation: Song of Songs 3:1-4I found him whom my heart loves. (Song of Songs 3:4) If you were looking for a saint whose life is a story of humble, dedicated love for Jesus, you might find all you need in Mary Magdalene, whose feast we celebrate today. In Mary, we see someone who had found, like the bride in the Song of Songs, “him whom my heart loves” (3:4). But Mary hadn’t found a husband or her beloved in the physical sense. No, she found Jesus, the One whose love had set her free from sin and desperation and filled her deepest needs. Through him, the demons that once held her in bondage and torment had been cast away, and Mary never forgot what he had done. So she stayed close to him wherever he went. She heard him preach powerful sermons and rebuke religious leaders. She saw him heal and deliver countless people, just as he had done for her. She even stayed by his side as he gave up his life on the cross. After Jesus’ death, when most of the other disciples hid in fear, Mary went to the tomb as soon as she could. And while she may have been afraid, something compelled her to go find him. The love that had transformed her life propelled her to follow Jesus even into the most uncomfortable, dangerous places. As a result, she became the first witness to the risen Christ and the first one to proclaim, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18)! When we encounter Jesus, we meet the One whom our heart loves. And in him, those things that once bound us in fear or shame lose their grip. Even more, as we are set free, his love compels us to follow him. You may not have experienced anything quite as dramatic as having seven demons cast out of you, but perhaps you can think of some sin that used to keep you bound that you no longer struggle with. Or perhaps your life was headed in one direction and took a very different turn after you met Jesus. Praise God for all those miracles! And if there’s a part of you that needs more of his love and power, invite him in. Let him keep transforming you. “Jesus, you are the One whom my heart loves.” Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9
John 20:1-2, 11-18
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Reflections with Brother Adrian:
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From today's Holy Gospel: "... She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her. .... ”
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From Bishop Barron: "That the resurrection is a literary device or a symbol that Jesus’s cause goes on is a fantasy born in the faculty lounges of Western universities over the past couple of centuries. The still startling claim of the first witnesses is that Jesus rose bodily from death, presenting himself to his disciples to be seen, even handled. The hope of ancient Israel was the unification of heaven and earth in a great marriage. Recall a central line from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The bodily resurrection of Jesus is the powerful sign that the two orders are in fact coming together.” End quote.
From Roberto Juarez: "...This is already a first lesson for us. Many times we too go through moments of darkness. Moments in which it seems that God is silent. The temptation is to leave. Abandon prayer. To distance ourselves from the Church. Losing hope. Mary Magdalene teaches us to abide. Those who remain close to the Lord end up finding him.
The Gospel insists several times: "Mary was outside, weeping." Tears hold an important place in the Bible. God never despises human crying. He does not ask us to hide suffering. Jesus himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He wept over Jerusalem. And now one of His disciples weeps for Him. But the Gospel shows us something precious. Tears do not have the last word. The risen Christ transforms pain into joy. It does not eliminate the past. He does not pretend that the cross had not existed. But it gives a new meaning to suffering. How many people can testify to this. They have gone through illness, loss, or great trials. And yet, they discovered that God never abandoned them. This is the first question that Jesus addresses to Mary. It is not a reproach. It is an invitation. As if to say, "You have no reason to live without hope anymore." Today too, the Lord addresses this question to each one of us. Why are you crying? Why do you live trapped in fear? Why do you think all is lost? Not because he ignores our suffering. But because he wants to lead us towards hope. The Resurrection completely changes our way of looking at life. There is a very significant detail. Mary sees Jesus. But she does not recognize it. Think of it as the gardener. Why? Because she is looking for a corpse. She does not expect to meet a living person. Often we too seek God where he cannot be found. We look for it only in memories. In customs. In a past that never returns. And we forget that Christ is alive. That continues to act. That continues to walk with us. The Christian faith does not consist in remembering a character from the past. It consists of meeting a living Person. Let us ask through the intercession of Saint Mary Magdalene for the grace to fall more and more in love with Christ every day. May we never stop looking for him. May we know how to recognize his voice in the midst of life's worries. And may we repeat with the same joy as she does: "I have seen the Lord." And may our whole life become a humble, joyful, and courageous witness that Jesus Christ is risen and lives forever.
" end of Roberto quote.
Your brother Adrian: Have you ever looked into the date of your baptism? Did you see what saint of the day it lands on?
For me, I found out a couple years ago, that I was born on today's Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene.
I celebrate being born into God on this day, into His body, born of the Spirit, not just of the flesh...in Holy Baptism.
I encourage you to find out your birth date, into the Lord, it is kind of a big deal...like, eternal being kind of big deal.
The reflections we heard and read are illuminating something wonderful.
There is hope in the darkness. Mary Magdalene brings the good news of hope to the Apostles. Some believe. Some doubt, some run to Him immediately.
And you? What is your response?
JESUS IS ALIVE!
Now what?
Does the news excite you? Are you moved? Does it matter?
What do we do with the news?
For a long time, I found myself just going through the motions in church. I grew up in church, born, baptized, and raised in the church. Sinner though, yes, an idiot for a sinner I would say, but not a quitter...not a quitter on the things of God.
One day, already married, with kids, I pondered the question "who is this man on the cross?".
And the Lord must have heard my thoughts, and He began to reveal Himself to me in many ways.
But I say this to you, so that you too will ask, seek, and find.
If you are not seeking Him, (Like Saint Mary Magdalene), then you have gone stagnant in your faith.
Of all the stories of saints, and non saints that encounter our Lord, there is that one thing in common that I see...blessings for those who are seeking Him...seeking the truth, seeking the real eternal life, seeking the way.
The way to what?
The way to: Eternal life? Yes.
The way to: Live daily life? Yes.
The way to: Seek him daily? Yes.
The way to: Handle interactions with all? Yes.
What else are you seeking? What could be more important?
Saint Mary Magdalene is said to have turned from a hardened, demon possesed in a way person, into a humble lover of Christ.
What does a lover of Christ look like?
Read the book "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A. Kempis.
You may get a glimpse of one person there imitating their love.
You may find yourself proclaiming the Gospel, like Mary Magdalene.
You may find yourself surprised even daily, on how our Lord appears to a torn up soul, if only they seek Him.
Does He not take notice of a little bird that falls from the sky?
Then how can He not dare notice His child's gaze, for His angels are commanded to look to you in His honor.
That we might turn to Him...and your heart become inflamed with hope, and His joy.
Today, the news headlines in the Catholic world said another African priest was assassinated, and the story opens up with: "A 36-year-old Catholic priest known for his peace initiatives in the Central African Republic was killed by gunmen just one day after baptizing 175 people. Father Crépin Martial Monga, vicar of St. John the Baptist Parish in Zémio in the Diocese of Bangassou, was shot dead on Monday, June 29, as he returned to the parish residence." What do you see in the story? Let me tell you what I see: once that bullet struck his head, a light appeared, in Heaven, and on Earth. 175 new lights were born under his hands the day before, and a bright new light appears in Heaven, a martyr, a lover of Christ. St. Mary Magdalene stuck it out, watching the one she loved suffer to death, right along side His mother.
But there is good news for those who tough it out.
These two women are super amazing. And Mother Mary is clothed with the stars in the realms we cannot see on earth.
We need strong women to push men to faith. I know my life is different for it. My grandma, my dad's mom, staunch in faith, a pillar, my mother, continuously proclaiming the Word of God, and my wife being strong enough to sustain a man of faith, like Mary Magdalene, and I was born on this day to proclaim the Good News.
My brothers and sisters, God is alive, and forever stands beyond forever. If we only knew what He sees, our hearts would melt before Him.
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Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 5:17 "For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."
Word of the Lord!
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