I sought him whom my heart loves.

Wednesday 22 July 2020

The Feast of St. Mary of Magdala

I sought him whom my heart loves.

Welcome to my blog.

Today in the Catholic Church, we celebrate the feast of St. Mary of Magdala. She was one of the group of women who followed Jesus as his disciples and cared for his physical needs out of their own resources. From her, the Lord Jesus drove seven devils. This does not necessarily mean that she was possessed, but rather that the Lord healed her from some extremely distressing and fearful condition. In gratitude she loved and followed Jesus, even to the Cross. She stood there by him in his agony along with his Mother. When Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala and she became his first witness.

Jn 20: 17

The Lord said to Mary Magdalene:

Go to my brothers and tell them:

I am going to my Father and your Father,

to my God and your God.

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Prayer

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.

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First reading

Song of Songs 3:1-4 ·

I found him whom my heart loves

The bride says this:

On my bed, at night, I sought him

whom my heart loves.

I sought but did not find him.

So I will rise and go through the City;

in the streets and in the squares

I will seek him whom my heart loves.

I sought but did not find him.

The watchmen came upon me

on their rounds in the City:

‘Have you seen him whom my heart loves?’

Scarcely had I passed them

when I found him whom my heart loves.

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

In this short passage the bride uses ‘whom my heart loves’, four times. Mary of Magdala teaches that the essence of the Christian life is our love for Jesus. Without a personal relationship of love with him, we are not worthy to be called Christians. If we look back over our past life, we can recognise the mercy of God in our life, as Mary did in hers. Gratitude for everything is the source of our love.

How much gratitude do you show to him?

Psalm

Psalm 62(63):2-6,8-9

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,

my lips will speak your praise.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

So I will bless you all my life,

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,

my mouth shall praise you with joy.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

For you have been my help;

in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand holds me fast.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

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Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Tell us, Mary: say

what thou didst see upon the way.

– The tomb the Living did enclose;

I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!

Alleluia!

John 20:1-2,11-18

'Mary, go and find the brothers and tell them'

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

Meanwhile Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

At the first opportunity after the sabbath rest, Mary goes back to the tomb. She is stunned to find it empty and deserted.  The two disciples who go to the tomb after Mary tells them this see everything. It is as she has said. Peter is puzzled, the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, sees the tomb and the neatly folded burial cloth and believes that Jesus has risen. They then go back home.

Distraught at the death of Jesus and now the empty tomb, Mary remains there. The tomb was the last place she had seen the Lord whom she loved. What was the point of going away? Her love would bring her back. She remains weeping and inconsolable. Though she sees angels, she cannot stop weeping.

Jesus responds to her love. He reveals himself to her first and calls her by name. She is one of his dear sheep. As soon as he calls her name, she recognises him. ‘I know my sheep and my sheep know me’. This happened in the early morning of Sunday. Love touches the heart of Jesus, the God who is Love become a man. He did not appear to the other disciples until evening. The whole day they were distressed. Her love brought her supreme joy.

Personal love is what Jesus looks for in us? From our love, not from intellectual belief, springs our Christian living.

How much do you love Jesus?

2 Cor 5: 14, 15

The love of Christ impels us,

so that those who live may live no longer for themselves,

but for him who died for them and was raised.

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Prayer

May the holy reception of your mysteries, Lord,

instil in us that persevering love

with which Saint Mary Magdalene

clung resolutely to Christ her Master.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.