† Quote of the Day "I have seen the Lord!"
— St. Mary Magdelene - John 20:18 Today's Meditation "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 Verse "Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.' Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?' 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, 'Rab-bo′ni!' (which means Teacher)...Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'!"
— 1 Peter 5:8-11 | St. Mary Magdalene 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. | Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene
Lectionary: 603 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. | DAILY MEDITATION: JOHN 20:1-2, 11-18 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark. (John 20:1) Mary Magdalene, whose feast we celebrate today, had been living in torment. We know this because she is described as one of the Galilean women who had been following Jesus and "from whom seven demons had gone out" (Luke 8:2). We don't know what this torment involved, but we do know that once she was free of it, Mary was completely transformed. She began to accompany Jesus and the Twelve, and together with the other women, "provided for them out of their resources" (8:3). After Mary left everything to follow Jesus, she would have spent her days listening to his teachings, witnessing his miracles, and observing closely how he treated people with compassion. Today's Gospel tells us that after Jesus' death, she was the first to go to his tomb—"early in the morning, while it was still dark" (John 20:1). Mary's belief in Jesus had not diminished, not even in the face of the horror of his crucifixion, the injustice he had endured, and the danger she was now facing as one of his followers. She just had to go and take care of the body of the One who had delivered her! What made Mary Magdalene so unwavering? Likely, she remembered what life was like before she met the Lord. She remembered the turmoil, the oppression, and the damage that she had endured—and the pain she likely caused others. Her gratitude at being freed from the seven demons outweighed any shame or regret she felt about her past. Mary relentlessly followed Jesus, supported him, and cared for him, even when no one else joined her. We, too, have many, many reasons to be grateful for the ways Jesus has transformed our lives. Our gratitude can help us to push aside any regret, shame, grief, or fear that may be keeping us from seeking after Jesus with our whole hearts. May we pursue him with the same passion and persistence as Mary did. He is worth all that we can give him! "Lord, I stand in gratitude today for all that you have done for me. I want to follow you today with passion, wherever you lead me." Song of Songs 3:1-4
Psalm 63:2-9 |  Hear AI Read it to you. Updated 7/10/24 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"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........" end quote. | Today we remember the day Saint Mary Magdalene was at the tomb early before the break of dawn.
The son rose.
Angels appeared.
The King of all Angels and children of God then appeared.
Where had our Lord been?
He was already in the dark saving souls.
He had descended and was on his way to ascend to Heaven.
But first...to be among His flock who would now have a hard time recognizing Him except through his voice and inspirations of the Holy Spirit...that bond that had joined them in the first place.
Take heart.
Let's be like St. Mary Magdelene, always seek Him whom we know is Savior. That we might rise with Him. That our mourning may see the sun rise in hopeful seeking and finding.
Today is special to me....I found out a few years ago, that this is the day I was baptized...born of the Father, born of the Holy Spirit, and in the blood of Jesus, from His side, where St Mary Magdalene and mother Mary cried and died with Christ in their hearts.
Lovers of Christ want to die at His side.
Why?
Because they have been filled with true Love...the kind that needs nothing else but Him and to share Him...share love of God to the world. Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us. SACRED BLOOD OF JESUS WASH US IN NEW LIFE | Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 5:1 Peace with God Through Faith
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we1 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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