Father Gonzalo Martin shares with Exaudi’s readers this article on the figure of Saint Mary Magdalene, Mary of Magdala, the first missionary, whose feast is celebrated today, July 22.
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There is much talk of Mary Magdalene, almost always relating her or centering her life on her many sins, or <insinuating> that she was the Lord’s lover; however, the centrality of her life is that phrase of Jesus: “one to whom much is forgiven, loves much.”
Moreover, it’s also true that only one in love recognizes her true Love, as did this Saint when she heard her name “Mary,” and answered “Rabboni-Teacher. The tears of the loss of her friend, of the Lord, gave way to a profession of faith: Rabboni, with all that this affirmation entails. She passed from darkness, sorrow, and despair to joy, hope, and the light of the Resurrection.
Mary Magdalene experienced in her life the great transformation to which Jesus calls us all constantly in the Gospels: Conversion. Yes, after all, her past (which one of us doesn’t have one?) she becomes the excited, loved, enthusiastic transmitter of Good News; she becomes, as Pope Francis says to us, Apostle of the Apostles, the first missionary who, by the Risen Lord’s request, takes the great message that all were waiting for, but that no one believed: It’s true, Christ has risen!
Much has been written about Mary Magdalene and she is often referred to in the Gospels. It seems that when the evangelists speak of groups of women around Jesus, they always put her in the first place. It’s no surprise, as she was a woman dominated by sin who was freed when she encountered Jesus. Henceforth, the centrality of her life was to follow Jesus, discipleship, a constant search of the Lord with the mission to proclaim the living Saviour present in her life and that of the community of disciples and Apostles.
Therefore, Mary Magdalene becomes the woman Apostle of the Apostles, who with her constant witness tells us that we are all called to be evangelizers in our realms, even if often the tears of sufferings, sins, and personal circumstances cloud our sight and we are incapable of recognizing Jesus in our lives, until, like Mary Magdalene, we hear our name: Mary.
Saint Mary Magdalene was the first missionary of a unique experience, which encourages us to be aware that there is Someone very close to us, Who is concerned about our sufferings, Who is moved by our sorrows, Who calls us by name. Mary Magdalene had the privilege to have that experience of being the first to meet the Risen Lord in a very personal and close way, triggering in her a torrent of joy and happiness, which she could never have imagined, after all the pain she felt in the days before Good Friday, marked by so much grief, disappointment, and apparent failure. However, Jesus becomes the Living God, Who says to us as He did to Mary Magdalene: Get up, stop crying, and go tell my disciples that we will see one another in Galilee.
From the moment she met the Risen One, Mary Magdalene was sent to take the great news to her brothers; so she, whom they knew as the great sinner, became the Apostle of the Apostles, missionary of Good News and hope for all.
We hope that this feast of July 22, in the midst of so much chaos, fear, despair, difficulties, pandemic year, her intercession will help us also to live this experience of encounter amid our weeping and laments, and that, like her, we will be able to hear the Risen Jesus Who calls us by name, shows us His love and compassion, and has a great and majestic task for us: to take the great news of His Life to our brothers.
Mary Magdalene’s life changed because she encountered Jesus. May our life also change because, as Saint Mary Magdalene, we too can say to others: We have seen the Lord!
It is for us, from the example of the Saint’s life, to be in our families, in society, and in the world the new apostles, missionaries of the Good News, as Mary Magdalene, the first missionary of the Resurrection, who was sent by Jesus.
Mary Magdalene, pray for us.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
