Reflection for FRIDAY, Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles.

By

 

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest, Bidar

Today's Gospel Verses 

John 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.*

Today's Reflection 

Mary Magdalene's appearance in the gospels was rather sudden.

According to Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9, Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons". That could mean that she was under some kind of serious diabolic possession or influence.

The gospel of Luke has it that after Jesus delivered her of the "seven demons", she followed Him and joined the band of women who supported Jesus and His disciples out of their own means.

But it was at the crucifixion, burial and Resurrection that Mary Magdalene became prominent.

She was there at the foot of the cross with Mother Mary and the beloved disciple John; she was at that burial of Jesus; and she was there at the tomb very early on the first day of the week.

And it was there and then that Jesus appeared to her and called her by name.

In Mary Magdalene, we see a slow and silent transformation from the moment she was delivered by Jesus to the moment He called her by name at His resurrection.

She had a dark past, and maybe even after that was disregarded and labelled with rejection.

But in the events of the crucifixion, burial and Resurrection, Mary Magdalene displayed faithfulness, courage and love even beyond death.

The Risen Jesus also sent her to the disciples and to announce to them that He is risen, and that is also why she is honoured as Apostle of the Apostles.

So if every saint has a past, then every sinner also has a future. But just as Mary Magdalene put her future in Jesus, may we also put ours into the hands of Jesus and hear Him call us by name.

GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a nice day.