The Apostle of the Apostles

In the middle of the year, as the celebration of Easter Sunday seems to be ages ago, we are again faced with the event of that Easter Sunday morning. This time it is because of a woman, Saint Mary Magdalen. She is a saint much needed for our time as she reminds us of the transforming power of allowing to be loved by Christ and making the commitment to love him. St Mary Magdalen came to believe in Jesus love for her and she also discovered that, in spite of the damage those seven unclean spirits done to her, she was still able to love. She was tormented by those evil spirits but after Jesus had exorcised them she used her new gained freedom to love Jesus. Because of that love she reminded at the foot of the cross and witnessed Jesus’ burial even when most of the disciples of Jesus abandoned him. The same love drew her to the tomb on Sunday morning, only to discover that the tomb was empty. That trip she made to the tomb ended not only with the encounter with the Risen Lord but it turned Mary Magdalen into the first proclaimer of the Resurrection. According to the ancient tradition of the Church she is called the Apostle of the Apostles as she was the one who brought them the news of the Resurrection. St John is very plain describing that mission of Mary Magdalen but we can meditate on the excitement and overflowing joy which made her not simply a means of news passing but a credible witness to the Risen Christ. The Apostles could easily see the impact the encounter with the Risen Lord had on her. Although the complacent of sticking to our Lenten resolutions and the profound meditative mood of the celebrations of Paschal Triduum may have worn out by now, the memorial of Saint Mary Magdalen in July brings us the challenge to be credible witnesses to the Resurrection whose conduct gives away that they have encountered the Risen Christ and that that encounter has made a lasting impact on them.

St Mary Magdalen pray for us so that we may always believe in the love of Christ for us and love his in return for his love. May our love for the Lord be proved by our profound love for those around us.

Mary Magdalen meets the Risen Lord. That the only picture of Jesus wearing a hat I have ever seen.