Mary
Magdalene, called “the penitent”, was a woman of great beauty who was
known as a sinner, but was touched in her soul by the merciful power of
Our Lord Jesus Christ and made a great conversion. Scriptures speak of
the Lord driving out “seven demons” from her, symbolic of the seven
capital sins (Mark 16:9).
Thinking
to trick Our Lord, she had been presented to Him by the Scribes and
Pharisees whilst He was teaching in the temple. Mary Magdalene had been
caught in adultery and the Law of Moses was quite clear as to its
punishment: death by stoning. In silence, Our Lord began to write with
His finger on the ground. At their persistent questioning, He lifted
Himself up and replied: “He that is without sin among you, let him cast
the first stone,” and stooping down, He returned to His writing in the
dust. One by one they left until none remained but the Judge and the
Accused. “Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are
they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man,
Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no
more” (John 8:10-11). From that moment onwards, her heart was won over
completely.
At
the house of Simon the Pharisee, the repentant Magdalene poured costly
ointments on Jesus’ feet and then dried them with her hair (John 7:38).
On her action being censured by the host, Our Lord said in her defense:
“Many sins are forgiven her because she has loved much” (John 7:47).
Mary Magdalene was the sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany whom the Lord raised from the dead after four days.
She
along with the Lord’s mother and other holy women stood at the foot of
the cross unafraid for herself. She it was also that, along with others
first discovered the empty tomb after the Lord’s Resurrection. And it
was to Mary Magdalene that the Lord first appeared after He was risen.
After
the martyrdom of the Apostle James in Jerusalem, as persecution
intensified, tradition says that Lazarus, Martha and Mary Magdalen,
along with others, were placed in a boat and set out to sea. This boat
landed on the southern shore of France. While Lazarus and Martha went on
to evangelize Provence, a fact claimed in French history, Mary retired
to a cave in a mountain, known as La Sainte-Baume, or The Holy Cave. In
this cave she lived the life of a penitent for thirty years until her
death. Today, at this site, there is a shrine where her relics are
venerated.
Thursday, July 22, 2021
St. Mary Magdalene
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