 clickable | | An Invitation to Resurrected Joy They say that Mary Magdalene becomes the apostle to the apostles after she encounters Jesus risen. I wonder now if what she might have to teach them is this: the message of a heart that is rejoicing with resurrection joy. Though she is unable to explain what happened or how Christ is here, she explodes with the impetuous and overwhelming joy that it is to recognize the resurrected Christ when he calls your name. I wonder if she was sent out as the apostle of the heart, the one who hurries to where the others, who try to figure it all out with their heads, have gone so she can awaken their hearts. Mary runs out to the apostles to tell them the good news so that they can stop trying to figure out the tomb and simply rejoice. When she reaches out for Jesus in the garden, he tells her that she cannot hold on to him. As much as I am sure her heart would have liked to stay there in that moment forever, in that cocoon where it was just her and her Lord, her heart awakening to the "alleluia" life of the resurrection, she has a job to do. This joy is not meant only for her. It belongs to all his followers, to the whole world. She is sent to the apostles, who are then sent to the ends of the earth. Mary Magdalene bears the Good News to the Good News bearers. She is the first to know resurrection joy and the first to share it. —from the book Who Does He Say You Are? Women Transformed by Christ in the Gospels by Colleen Mitchell |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Let us thank God for having called us to His holy faith. It is a great gift, and the number of those who thank God for it is small."
— St. Alphonsus Liguori † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"God loves everyone with unique love; he wants to lead them all to perfection, but at the same time has very different paths for different people. This means that the frequency and characteristics of the inspirations of grace will differ from one person to another. We cannot force the Spirit, God is the master of his gifts. That said, it cannot be doubted that God will grant each person at least the inspirations he needs for his own sanctification."
— Fr. Jacques Philippe, p. 26
AN EXCERPT FROM
In the School of the Holy Spirit † VERSE OF THE DAY
"Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 5:8-11 |  click to read more | | Saint Mary Magdalene (d. c. 63) Except for the mother of Jesus, few women are more honored in the Bible than Mary Magdalene. Yet she could well be the patron of the slandered, since there has been a persistent legend in the Church that she is the unnamed sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:36-50. Most Scripture scholars today point out that there is no scriptural basis for confusing the two women. Mary Magdalene, that is, "of Magdala," was the one from whom Christ cast out "seven demons" (Luke 8:2)—an indication at the worst, of extreme demonic possession or possibly, severe illness. Writing in the New Catholic Commentary, Father Wilfrid J. Harrington, O.P., says that "seven demons" "does not mean that Mary had lived an immoral life—a conclusion reached only by means of a mistaken identification with the anonymous woman of Luke 7:36." In the Jerome Biblical Commentary, Father Edward Mally, SJ, agrees that she "is not…the same as the sinner of Luke 7:37, despite the later Western romantic tradition about her." Mary Magdalene was one of the many "who were assisting them [Jesus and the Twelve] out of their means." She was one of those who stood by the cross of Jesus with his mother. And, of all the "official" witnesses who might have been chosen for the first awareness of the Resurrection, she was the one to whom that privilege was given. She is known as the "Apostle to the Apostles."
Reflection Mary Magdalene has been a victim of mistaken identity for almost 20 centuries. Yet she would no doubt insist that it makes no difference. We are all sinners in need of the saving power of God, whether our sins have been lurid or not. More importantly, we are all "unofficial" witnesses of the Resurrection.
Saint Mary Magdalene is the Patron Saint of: Penitents
Perfumers | Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene Reading 1 SGS 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. OR 2 COR 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 Psalm PS 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. Gospel Jn 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.
| Meditation: John 20:1-2, 11-18 Saint Mary Magdalene (Feast) I have seen the Lord. (John 20:18) Life for Mary Magdalene could not have been easy before she met Jesus. Imagine being possessed by seven different demons! What relief and gratitude must have flooded her heart when Jesus set her free! Her life could finally get back to normal. Only it didn't. Instead of staying in her familiar hometown of Magdala, she left everything behind to follow him. She joined up with some other women who had been healed by Jesus and accompanied him wherever he went. Along with them, she even provided for Jesus and his apostles out of her means (Luke 8:2-3). It was a radical decision, and no doubt it was shocking to people. A woman living in such circumstances in those days would have been subject to misunderstanding and suspicion. But Mary Magdalene was determined to follow Jesus, wherever that led. In the end, she followed him all the way to Calvary and then to his tomb. It was there that she encountered the risen Jesus and was commissioned to announce his resurrection to the apostles. Each of us can probably remember times when God brought us to freedom. It might have been some area of weakness or a struggle that held us back and maybe crippled us in some way. As wonderful as the experience of God's mercy is, it's even more wonderful to think about how our healing or deliverance can set us free to live more radically for Jesus. But don't worry; you don't have to follow Mary's example of becoming a traveling missionary. For example, maybe you have been able to pay off some long-standing debt. Perhaps that could be the catalyst to become more generous to the poor. Or maybe overcoming an illness makes it easier for you to get up a little earlier each day to pray and read Scripture. Or perhaps a reconciliation with a family member opens doors for you to share your faith more openly. Jesus loves to heal us, and he loves even more to draw us closer to his side. Today, let's ask St. Mary Magdalene to intercede for us. May we follow Jesus wherever that leads us. May we become disciples who are willing to take risks for the Lord who has healed and saved us! "Jesus, I want to follow you wherever you go. Help me to live for you." Song of Songs 3:1-4
Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9 |  clickable | I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the break of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire his blood, which is love incorruptible.
—St. Ignatius of Antioch
from The Bible and The Sacraments | my2cents:
"Have you seen him whom my heart loves?"
Mary Magdalene, what a soul on fire. For if she was tormented by evils throughout her life, she was now living for the Lord, truly "once saved, always saved" that is to say, not by faith alone, but to say "there is no turning back, once you have decided to follow Jesus". True Love is not erotic love. True love is not a whimsical passion, a fleeting feeling. No, it is even more than filial love, it is a love that is a gift from Heaven, and THAT, is Eternal. An offering of God Himself. | Let us pray:
" 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."
What does your soul thirst for? What does your heart desire? What does your soul need though? Facing aridity, what do you do?
Take the steps of Mary Magdalene, come to Jesus. | In comes our Lord today: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"
And what kind of voice and appearance does He have? Mary saw Him and heard him. She did not recognize Him, not His sight, not His sound. Could this be you today? Crying, and there is Jesus speaking to you. Yet you do not recognize His voice. He is right in front of you, yet you do not recognize Him. I dare say, yes. Yes He speaks. Yes we do not recognize. For what He calls for is Faith. | "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father."
My Father and your Father.
That is a special calling from Heaven. My God and your God says our Lord. To have this said about us is a most special honor.
An honor and a call, not a mere invitation.
A call to evangelization, beginning with yourself.
She goes out running, there is much running to and from the Lord now.
"I have seen the Lord," she said.
Now come see for yourself. I had a vision once while praying with men in front of the Blessed Sacrament in a 3 day weekend retreat. I saw the Lord. COME AND SEE |  hear it read | adrian I was baptized on this day. Celebrate with me, seize the day and glorify God with your life. Random Bible Verse1
Proverbs 10:4-5 (Listen) 4 A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. Thank You Jesus | |
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