From the Friars: The One Who Loved Much
In 2016 Pope Francis elevated the Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene to the status of a Feast on the Liturgical Calendar. It will be celebrated this Tuesday, July 22. In the gospel for today’s Mass, we hear the familiar story of Martha and Mary. The latter sits at Jesus’ feet listening to Him while the former gets stressed out from serving the guests. According to an ancient tradition in the Western Church, St. Mary Magdalene is the same person as Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She is also identified with the sinful woman of Luke 7 who washes Our Lord’s feet with her tears, anoints them, kisses them and dries them with her hair.
Christ with Martha and Maria, by Henryk Siemiradzki – Public Domain, Link
The Gospel passages that the above-mentioned tradition refers to would clearly fit the great saint who we know for certain was at the foot of the Cross and was the first to see the risen Lord. She was really the second witness after the Blessed Mother but that is another story. The one who chose the better part seems to have understood who this Rabbi from Nazareth was, and the love He had for her and us all, better than the twelve or other disciples.
There is a popular saying in English these days, “got it” or “gotcha,” which lets the other person know you understand what they are saying. Or we might say, “he really caught the ball” about someone who fully grasps a concept or teaching. This is what I want to express about Saint Mary Magdalene. She got it. She caught the ball. How else can we explain the scandalous extravagance of anointing Jesus’ feet with very expensive nard, risking her neck by standing at the foot of the Cross and again by rushing to the tomb on Easter morning?
This woman is in love, in the highest love, in Divine Love. “I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” (Lk 7:47) She did a beautiful thing for Our Lord which will always be remembered.
May she help us Know Him, receive His mercy and run to tell the world about the love which is stronger than death.
May she help us catch the ball.
Amen.
Fr. Peter