It can be argued, that Mary Magdalene is the second-most important woman in the New Testament. Throughout the four Gospels, she is named 14 times, more than most of the apostles. Yet, there is a lot of confusion about some of Mary Magdalene’s biographical information.
Movies like The Last Temptation of Christ and Jesus Christ Superstar portray Mary of Magdala as young, beautiful and as having a romantic interest in Jesus. We won’t even go into what Dan Brown, author of The Davinci Code has to say about her.
There is no scriptural evidence that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Nor is she the woman to have washed the feet of Jesus, that was Mary of Bethany in John’s Gospel; St. Mark and Luke do tell us that the Lord had cast out of her “seven demons”. St. Luke also tells us that she helped provide for the needs of Jesus and His apostles out of her resources (Lk 8:3). And, unlike the majority of the apostles, she followed the Lord all the way to Calvary and stood at the foot of his cross with Jesus (Jn 19:25).
On Easter Sunday, sent went to the tomb to weep for the Lord, but she soon encountered the Risen Lord. Faith and Love then impelled her to bring the news of the resurrection to the apostles.
Saints and theologians from St. Thomas Aquinas to the modern popes have referred to St. Mary Magdalene as the Apostle to the Apostles.
She wasn’t one of the twelve apostles, and she is not regarded as a bishop at any point by the Church, but she is called Apostle to the Apostles because she is the first to encounter the risen Christ, and she is sent by the risen Jesus to bring news of his resurrection to the other disciples. As the Opening Prayer stated: “Christ “first entrusted to Mary Magdalene the joyful news of his resurrection.”
And that is the apostolic task of every member of the Church: to spread the good news about Jesus.
Whatever her past—prior to becoming a disciples of Jesus—she became a woman transformed by faith, hope, and love. Even the demon possessed can become saints and effective missionaries. She was delivered for a purpose, and so are we.
St. Anselm has a beautiful reflection on St. Mary Magdalene, in which he writes: St Mary Magdalene, you came with springing tears to the spring of mercy, Christ; from him your burning thirst was abundantly refreshed; through him your sins were forgiven; by him your bitter sorrow was consoled. My dearest lady, well you know by your own life how a sinful soul can be reconciled with its creator, what counsel a soul in misery needs, what medicine will restore the sick to health… Draw me to him where I may wash away my sins; bring me to him who can slake my thirst; pour over me those waters that will make my dry places fresh.”
May we, with the help of the Magdalene’s prayers and example, be made worthy, like her, of the promises of Christ, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
That all Christians may seek to imitate the examples of the saints and grow in the virtues of faith, hope, and love.
For the demon-possessed and those hardened in sin, that they, through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene, may know true deliverance; and that young people may be preserved from evil, and discover the great joy of loving and being loved by Christ.
That Christians may imitate the generosity of Mary Magdalene in providing for the needs of the mission of the Church.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of human trafficking, natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for the unborn, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalene, free us from all that keeps us from the love of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.
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