Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time (Cycle II)
Gospel John 20:1–2, 11–18
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. Although some biblical scholars and commentaries portray Mary Magdalene as one and the same woman who was delivered by Jesus of several demonic spirits; others identify her as the same woman who was caught in the very act of adultery and brought to Jesus for His verdict before the Jews would stone her to death.
Rather, than consolidate on the pre-meditated judgement of the Jews, Jesus chose to show her mercy, and her life was spared since that day. Whichever account/story of Mary Magdalene that we may gravitate towards, suffice it to say that she was a woman whose life/experience is a profound testimony to the transforming power of God’s mercy.
Transformed by God’s mercy, Mary Magdalene became a faithful disciple.
Having been redeemed from her broken past, she became a faithful disciple of Jesus and the first to herald the news of His resurrection to the apostles. On account of Mary Magdalene’s devoted love of Jesus, even after His death, for which she went alone to the tomb of Jesus to anoint His body, she was privileged to be the first person to see, meet and speak with Jesus after His resurrection.
Her endearment to Jesus was rewarded, as she was mandated by Jesus Himself to go and announce the news of His resurrection from the dead personally to His apostles, whom He addressed as brothers, in this account.
St. Mary Magdalene became an “Apostle to the Apostles.”
So, we can see that a woman who was not called to be an apostle, became an ‘Apostle to the Apostles.’ Against the backdrop of this covert mission/role of Mary Magdalene, i.e. being an ‘Apostle to the Apostles’, Pope Francis upgraded this celebration from a Memorial to a Feast, thereby honouring her and placing her alongside the apostles of Jesus.
Today’s feast and Mary Magdalene’s experiences, expression of gratitude, love and devotion to Jesus show us that:
- No one is beyond redemption. So, let us not allow our past to define us or keep us fixated. Rather, let us open up to the transforming grace and mercy of God which are available to us daily, especially through the Eucharist.
- Mary Magdalene’s relationship with Jesus did not end after she received His love, mercy, deliverance and forgiveness. She sustained the relationship even after His death. Similarly, let us develop and sustain a personal relationship with Jesus, irrespective of the circumstances in life, so that even in the darkest moments of our lives, Jesus will be with us and will call us by our personal names, just as He did with Mary Magdalene.
- Every encounter with Jesus leads to a mission. Like Mary Magdalene, we are sent to announce with joy Jesus Christ to others, using our own personal experience of Him.
Like Mary Magdalene who was an ‘Apostle to the Apostles’, let us be that Catholic to other Catholics, that Christian to other Christians and let us not be ashamed to announce Christ even to the unbaptized, non-believers and non-Christians.
As we celebrate this feast, may Mary Magdalene teach us to be genuine/faithful disciples of Jesus who will bear joyful witness and courageously declare “I have seen the Lord.”
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