Reflection: Saint Mary Magdalen, the apostle of the apostles

Saint Mary Magdalene was faithful to Christ even when the faith of the apostles wavered during and after the Passion. Since she proclaimed the news of the Resurrection to the apostles on Easter morning, she is often referred to as "the apostle to the apostles".

"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful, yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them." Matthew 28:8-9

Fearful, yet overjoyed

During his homily at morning Mass today, our pastor said they were fearful of the unknown and they were overjoyed of what they knew.  

Think about the things you are fearful of and bring them to Jesus.  Once you have an encounter with Him, you are forever changed and your heart is filled with JOY.

The following reading is an excerpt from a beautiful homily preached by Pope Saint Gregory the Great around the year 600 AD:

When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and did not find the Lord’s body, she thought it had been taken away and so informed the disciples. After they came and saw the tomb, they too believed what Mary had told them. The text then says: The disciples went back home, and it adds: but Mary wept and remained standing outside the tomb.

Let us reflect on Mary’s attitude and the great love she felt for Christ; for though the disciples had left the tomb, she remained. She was still seeking the one she had not found, and while she sought she wept; burning with the fire of love, she longed for him who she thought had been taken away. And so it happened that the woman who stayed behind to seek Christ was the only one to see him. For perseverance is essential to any good deed, as the voice of truth tells us: Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.

At first she sought but did not find, but when she persevered it happened that she found what she was looking for. When our desires are not satisfied, they grow stronger, and becoming stronger they take hold of their object. Holy desires likewise grow with anticipation, and if they do not grow they are not really desires. Anyone who succeeds in attaining the truth has burned with such a great love. As David says: My soul has thirsted for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? And so also in the Song of Songs the Church says: I was wounded by love; and again: My soul is melted with love.

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek? She is asked why she is sorrowing so that her desire might be strengthened; for when she mentions whom she is seeking, her love is kindled all the more ardently.

Jesus says to her: Mary. Jesus is not recognized when he calls her “woman”; so he calls her by name, as though he were saying: Recognize me as I recognize you; for I do not know you as I know others; I know you as yourself. And so Mary, once addressed by name, recognizes who is speaking. She immediately calls him Rabbouni, that is to say, teacher, because the one whom she sought outwardly was the one who inwardly taught her to keep on searching.

Song of Songs 3:1-4  "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."

Help us Lord, to follow Your Will for our lives, as Saint Mary Magdalene did. Help us seek You in all things and go and tell others about You Lord.

Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us and for all the intentions we receive through this ministry and bring them to Jesus, the One we seek.