Thursday, July 21, 2005
MEMORIAL, ST. MARY MAGDALENE
JULY 22, 2005
MEMORIAL, ST. MARY MAGDALENE
FRIDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR I
2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-17
For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction
that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for
all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for
him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on
we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ
according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is
in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold,
new things have come.
JOHN 20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in
the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from
the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple
whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the
tomb, and we don't know where they put him." Mary stayed outside the
tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two
angels in white sitting there, one at the head and
one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my
Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this,
she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking
for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you
carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to
me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers
and tell them, `I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and
your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have
seen the Lord," and then reported what he told her.
REFLECTION
Today we remember St. Mary Magdalene, a woman who not only was a loyal
and faithful disciple of Christ but also a person who truly loved
Jesus.
It is unfortunate that in our present day, many of us are
apprehensive or suspicious of Mary Magdalene. Many of us find
discomfort in the intimacy she had with Jesus. In today's gospel
reading, St. John's description of the meeting of Mary and Jesus may
seem more than friendly than it is joyful. It doesn't help that Mary
Magdalene has been mistakenly portrayed in Hollywood as an illegitimate
lover of Jesus or as an ex-prostitute (which she really wasn't).
Mary Magdalene throughout the Gospels contended with difficulties and
traumas. She was possessed of demons and likely an outcast before
Jesus cured her. And she watched her friend Jesus die on the cross. In
short, during her time and up to the present, we haven't been giving
Mary Magdalene much of a break. Except Jesus who did.
Jesus was her one true friend throughout it all. He not only cured her,
but also taught to her, and stuck with her despite the complaints of
others. In response, Mary gave her all to listen to and grow her faith
with Jesus hence it comes as no surprise she became one of His most
faithful disciples and best of friend.
Mary Magdalene is a model of faith and friendship. In the face of
antagonism and negative sentiment, which we often experience today, we
could really use her example in our own personal relationship with the
Lord.
PRAYER
"Lord, may I never fail to recognize your voice nor lose sight of your
presence in your saving word."
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
- for the health of Tita Chan.
- for the guidance and prayer intentions of John Chan.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Mr. Roberto C. Villasol.
Eternal rest grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May
he rest in peace.
- in thanksgiving for all the blessings received by Cha.
- for the guidance and special intentions of Rev.
- for the all the concerns and special intentions of Jhob.
- for the special intentions of Joseph.
- for the personal intentions of Patricia M.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Elizabeth Onal
- Birthday: Herbert Sun
- In Memoriam: Leopoldo A. Picazo
- In Memoriam: Mary Sarah Tañedo
- In Memoriam: Victoria B. Roman I
- Wedding Anniversary: Chris & Joyce Chua
- Prayer Intention: Bernadette T. Lazzara & Family
- In Memoriam: Jose Maristela (1916-1978)
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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