Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene ~ 22 July 2014

Mary Magdalene is one of the most prominent woman and follower of Jesus in the New Testament as she was at two most significant moment for Jesus which is the crucifixion and resurrection. She proved to be loyal to Jesus in following Him trough His ministries and she stood near the cross as Jesus died, later she anointed his body with spices at the burial in the tomb.

Mary Magdalene is mention in the New Testament is the following Gospels Luke 8:1-3, John 12:1-3, John 19:25, Matthew 27:55-61, Mark 15:40-47, Luke 23:55-56, Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-11, and John 20:1-18.

Mary was born in a town called Magdale, in northern Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias, and for this was named Magdalene. Mary Magdalene died in 68 A.D. The Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches considers Mary Magdalene as saint and celebrate the Memorial (feast) for St.Mary Magdalene on 22 July annually. 

Like in today's John gospel, like us today, Mary failed to recognize the Risen Jesus when she first encountered Him. Only when he spoke did she realize that this man was not the gardener but rather, Jesus. We do not always recognize Jesus when we encounter him in prayer, when we encounter him in others, and when we encounter him in the Eucharist. We too must imitate Mary Magdalene by seeking the Lord where we may find him, by seeking the Lord even when he seems to be absent. We are called to nothing less.

O God, whose Only Begotten Son entrusted Mary Magdalene before all others with announcing the great joy of the Resurrection, grant, we pray, that through her intercession and example we may proclaim the living Christ and come to see him reigning in your glory. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

Reading 1

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.
Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea
all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.
Responsorial Psalm 

Psalm 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
You have favored, O LORD, your land;
you have brought back the captives of Jacob.
You have forgiven the guilt of your people;
you have covered all their sins.
You have withdrawn all your wrath;
you have revoked your burning anger.
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
Restore us, O God our savior,
and abandon your displeasure against us.
Will you be ever angry with us,
prolonging your anger to all generations?
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
Will you not instead give us life;
and shall not your people rejoice in you?
Show us, O LORD, your kindness,
and grant us your salvation.
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
Gospel 

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.

Saint Mary Magdalene

In the gospels, Mary Magdalene is one of among the Galilean women who followed Jesus during His ministry together with His disciples. Many assumption that Mary Magdalene, was a great sinner. All of the four the four gospels mentions about Mary Magdalene, but not once it is written within any of the gospels or claimed in bible that she was a adulterous woman that portrayed in some writing or movies. People may have confused themselves of Mary Magdalene with two other woman in the gospels, first Mary of Bethany (the sister of Martha and Lazarus), and second the sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50), who wiped Jesus feet with the hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment. As in Luke 8:1-3, we are knowledgeable that Jesus cast out seven demons of Mary Magdalene, after this event she began following Jesus in His ministry. Mary Magdalene is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches with a feast day of 22 July annually. She was present at the time of Jesus passions, suffering and crucifixion where she stood by the cross with Jesus's beloved mother, Mary and John. She was also involved in the burial of Jesus anointing his body with spices in the tomb, discover that the tomb had been open, and she stood weeping outside the tomb and she was the first to see the Risen Christ (John 20:11-18).

John 20:11-18

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-bo′ni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Mag′dalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.