Today, Friday 22 July we celebrate the feast of Mary Magdalene. Mary was the first to witness Christ's resurrection and is remembered as a "true and authentic evangelizer," Pope Francis has raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the church's liturgical calendar. On this feast, we celebrate "an evangelist who proclaims the central joyous message of Easter." St. Mary Magdalene's feast day calls for all Christians to "reflect more deeply on the dignity of women, the new evangelization and the greatness of the mystery of divine mercy."
We pray…
With Mary of Magdala we gather with faith and fortitude, unity and universalism.
With Mary of Magdala we gather with fidelity and faith, intimacy and inclusivity.
With Mary of Magdala we gather to witness, wonder and weave together a world of justice for all.
John 20:1 - 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 sisters and 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.
We reflect.
For what are you weeping …
For whom or what are you looking …
In whom or where have you seen the Lord …
May God of wisdom open our minds and hearts to the needs of our world. Amen.
May Jesus the Teacher walk with us as we deepen our vocation in living Mercy. Amen.
May the Holy Spirit bless us this day. Amen.