Mary Magdalene was from Magdala near the Sea of Galilee. She was very beautiful and very proud. She forgot that God gave her all her beauty. She wanted to be popular at all costs so she sinned. One day she met Jesus. He looked at her and showed her how sad He was about her sin. At that moment she felt great sorrow for her evil life and made up her mind to live a good life.
Jesus went to supper at the home of a rich man named Simon. The guests laughed and jeered at her. She knelt at His feet and washed His feet with her tears. Then, with her long, beautiful hair, she wiped his feet dry and anointed them with expensive perfume.
People were surprised that Jesus would let such a sinner touch him. Our Lord who could see into Mary's heart said, "I came into your house and you did not give Me water to wash My feet, but this woman washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Her many sins are forgiven because she has loved Me very much." Then Jesus said to Mary, "Your sins are forgiven. Your faith saved you. Go in peace."
From then on she loved only our Lord. She with the other holy women humbly served Jesus and his apostles. When Our Lord was crucified, she was there at the foot of his cross. She stayed with our Blessed Mother and Saint John, unafraid for herself. All she could think about was that Jesus was suffering.
After Jesus' body had been placed in the tomb, Mary went to anoint it with spices early Easter Sunday morning. She was shocked when she saw that the tomb was empty. Not finding the sacred body, she stood outside the tomb and began to weep. Suddenly she saw someone she thought was the gardener. She asked him if he knew where the body of her beloved Master had been taken.
Touched by her deep sorrow, the man spoke in a voice filled with love that she knew so well "Mary!" It was Jesus, standing right there in front of her. He was risen from the dead. And he had chosen to reveal himself first to her. The Gospels tell us that Mary was sent by Jesus himself to announce the Good News of the resurrection to Peter and the apostles.
Her Feast Day is July 22 nd.
O God, it was St. Mary Magdalene before all others that Your Son committed the message of Easter joy. Through her intercession, may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord and one day contemplate Him reigning in glory. Amen.
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