Memorial of Mary Magdalene,

disciple of the Lord

Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” – John 20:18

       Some people are caught up with the troubles of life that they fail to see the beauty of the Lord’s creation.

      Many years ago, I went to Batanes. It was a glorious experience being engulfed in the magnificence of God’s creation. I could see God’s love in all the colors of the sky, the ocean and the trees. I could feel God’s love in the warmth of the sunlight and the cool embrace of fresh air.

        When I got back to Manila, I felt a sensory overload. My first thought was: “Everything around me in Manila is manmade, noisy and not as glorious as God’s creation.”

       Later in my years, I started seeing “man” — God’s ultimate creation — in a different light. In the compound where I live, I began to enjoy greeting and connecting with young parents, kids, grandparents, driver, nanny or maintenance staff. At the mall, I nod at others and smile. Many people reciprocate.

       And when a client comes in for a coaching session, I see God in this person’s eyes. I want my clients to feel God’s love through me as I listen to them, as I accept them for who they are and commit to help them in the best way I can. Edwin S. Soriano (edwin@winningcoaching.net)

Reflection:What has the Lord prepared along your path today?

Lord, open my eyes, my ears, my heart, that I may see, hear and feel Your presence as You guide me in life.

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

Four hundred and thirty years is a long time to stay away from home. The Egyptians were sad to lose the labor provided by the Israelites. It was time for the Israelites to return to the land given to their ancestors. The journey will be long and difficult, but their relationship with God will be restored in another 150 years under King David. We may not realize it, but God prepared a people to receive the Messiah for about 2,000 years.

37 The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the little ones. 38 A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them, besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds. 39 Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened, they baked it into unleavened loaves. They had been rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity even to prepare food for the journey. 40 The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the Lord left the land of Egypt on this very date. 42 This was a night of vigil for the Lord, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

Psalm 136:1, 23-24, 10-12, 13-15 (or Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9)

R: His mercy endures forever.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; 23 Who remembered us in our abjection, for his mercy endures forever; 24 And freed us from our foes, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 10 Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born, for his mercy endures forever; 11 and brought out Israel from their midst, for his mercy endures forever; 12 with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 13 Who split the Red Sea in twain, for his mercy endures forever; 14 And led Israel through its midst, for his mercy endures forever; 15 But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endures forever. (R)

Today is the Feast of Mary Magdalene, one of the first, if not the first, to see the Risen Lord. It is somewhat appropriate that such a great sinner was given this privilege. But then, this is hardly unusual with Jesus who often turns our expectations upside down with His mercy and love. Pope Francis does the same — refusing dinners with politicians and the wealthy, and choosing to eat with those in the homeless shelters and streets. This is the kind of Church that we are supposed to develop.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

1 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. 2 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.” 11 Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 13 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.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 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.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her.

think: How has Jesus spoken your name in a time of grief? How did it affect you?

Read the Bible in one year Tobit 8-11

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

LOVE WAS THE BEST SHE HAD

The four Gospels identify Mary as the bearer of the story about the empty tomb of Jesus. She came to the tomb very early on that Easter Sunday morning and, finding the tomb opened, she ran to tell the disturbing news to Peter and the rest of the disciples. Both the Western Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches honor Mary Magdalene with the unique title: “Apostle to the apostles.” She was the one sent to those who have been commissioned as proclaimers of Faith in Jesus.

       Why Mary of Magdalene? She had such an extraordinary love for Jesus as her Lord. Let us take note how the Gospel of her feast enumerates demonstrations of her love for Jesus:

       She came to the tomb early. Mary knew Jesus had died. She saw Him expire on the cross, and she came to the tomb to make a vigil near the remains of the Beloved. She came early Sunday morning, at the first instance that Jewish tradition allowed her, right after the Sabbath. Some biblicists say she had come to complete the anointing of the remains of Jesus, since this was not possible to do at the burial that was hurriedly done before the onset of the Sabbath.

       She called Jesus “Rabbouni.” In many occasions in the Gospels, disciples and critics called Jesus “Rabbi.” This means “teacher.” Mary called Jesus “Rabbouni.” This is an endearing reference — “my Teacher.”

       She held on to Jesus. In the biblical language, “to cling” signifies both deep trust and faith (“Cling to the Lord”), and love (the man leaves father and mother, and clings to the wife).

     Love is better than faith. The very nature of God is love; Jesus Himself insisted that the one commandment He leaves for authentic followers is “Love one another.” The great Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Fr. Domie Guzman SSP

---------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS ----------

Are you a loving person? How do you demonstrate your love to those around you? Love is repaid by love.

You are Love made flesh, dearest Jesus. May my love for You translate into my love for others. Amen.