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| Jesus shows Himself to Mary Magdalene |
Song of Solomon 3:1-4ab, or 2 Cor 5:14-17
Psalm 63:2.2-4.5-6.8,
John 20:1-2.11-18 Full Readings
I Have Seen The Lord
Today we celebrate the feast day Mary Magdalene, the Apostle of the Apostles, and a perfect example of clinging and having deep love for Jesus. Mary Magdalene was regarded as sinful and unworthy by the Jews, but the love that Jesus showed Mary Magdalene made her to cling to Jesus even after his death. Jesus had delivered her from seven demons, and she was one of the women who accompanied Jesus and his disciples, providing for Jesus and the Twelve out of their resources (Luke 8:1-3). Pope Saint Gregory identified her as the one who was caught in adultery and was almost being stoned. She was one of the women with St. John and the Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross, accompanying Jesus in his agony (John 19:24-25). When Jesus died and was taken down from the cross, “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid” (Mark 15:47). The next morning, when the Sabbath ended (Mark 16:1), Mary went to the tomb so early that it was still dark. She couldn’t wait to care for her Lord’s body, to anoint it with spices (Mark 16:1). She sought him in the darkness, knowing that light was coming. The Lord had transformed Mary’s life, and she continued to seek and serve him even after his death. Mary’s love for Jesus was steadfast, persevering through the most difficult circumstances because her heart was full of gratitude.
Mary Magdalene was the first person to see the risen Lord, and she “went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and then reported what he told her.” Describing Mary Magdalene’s role, St. Thomas Aquinas called her the “Apostle to the Apostles,” and in 2016, the Congregation for Divine Worship, “by the express wish of Pope Francis,” elevated her memorial celebration to the level of a feast, of the same significance as the other Apostles. In the General Audience on May 17, 2017, Pope Francis directed our attention to Mary: “Mary would like to embrace her Lord, but he is already oriented towards the heavenly Father, whereas she is sent to carry the news to the brethren. And so that woman, who, before encountering Jesus, had been at the mercy of evil (Luke 8:2), now becomes the Apostle of the new and greatest hope. May her intercession help us in times of woe and abandonment to listen to the Risen Jesus who calls us by name and, with a heart full of joy, to go forth and proclaim: “I have seen the Lord!” (v. 18).
Let us always try to imitate Mary Magdalene. All of us have experienced the love, mercy and forgiveness of God, what then is lagging us behind not to become Apostles. Jesus is ready to make us His Apostles despite our sinful past, despite how people see us and identify us to be. What we need is to trust Him in all what we do and surrender everything to Him. Mary's desperate heart at the tomb, searching for Jesus also shows the greater love Mary had for Jesus. How deep is your love for Jesus, at all times, in joy and in sorrow. Most times as human beings when we are faced with sorrow, we tend to turn away from Jesus and find other means, meaning our love for Jesus is very shallow, Jesus should be the centre of our hearts and live at every moment. We should not focus on the empty tomb for our Lord lives and he will always show himself to us when we seek him.
We may ask ourselves why Jesus told Mary, “don't cling to me because I have not yet ascended to the father” Is Jesus stopping Mary from loving Him? No, Jesus was in fact helping her for her growth in her spiritual Journey. Mary was clinging to Jesus on a human level, being with Jesus and enjoying his physical presence. It was a relationship on a personal level. But since Jesus was going to the Father, Mary had to transcend this human relationship to the Divine Relationship, to love him in a divine way, that is, Jesus would now come from heaven and enter Mary's soul as a divine communion, a spiritual relationship. Mary would therefore transform all human emotions to the Divine longing for Christ. We have to remember that Jesus' message to Mary is also for us, it's an invitation to cling in Jesus spiritually as our sole love and comforter of our hearts. This is the Divine Marriage, as he loves us as His bride, the church.
Reflect today on how you cling to Jesus spiritually and ask for the graces to recognize Him and His voice in all your daily experiences. Pray for the graces to be a faithful and authentic Apostles to Jesus just as Mary of Magdala did. Pray for daily deepening of your love for Christ.
Let us Pray
Grant me the graces, O Lord, that I may always cling to you and enjoy your presence forever. May I continue to grow daily in the love for you. May I never fail to recognize your voice nor lose sight of your presence as you open the Scriptures for me and speak your life-giving word and thus become an Apostle to all Amen.
Be blessed
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