St. Mary Magdalene Apostle to the Apostles

July 22nd is the feast day of Mary Magdalene. I love the stories about her in the Gospels. She is the same Mary as the sister of Lazarus. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to him, while her sister Martha was running around preparing and serving food. Martha complained to Jesus because Mary was not helping her and Jesus, rebuked Martha and said, “Mary has chosen the more important part.”

Mary Magadalene anointed Jesus with costly perfume containing nard by pouring it over his head. Judas complained saying, why is she wasting that precious, expensive perfume when it could be sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus rebuked him, saying she has done a good thing by anointing me for my burial. Jesus said, “the poor you will always have, but you will not always have me.”

Then 3 days after the crucifixion Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early Sunday morning while it was still dark, and the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. Mary ran to tell Peter and John that Jesus was gone from the tomb, and she assumed someone had taken the body. Peter and John ran to the tomb. John went into the tomb first, and then Peter went n. Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping, until she finally stooped down to look in the tomb. She saw two angels, one was sitting at the foot, and one was sitting at the head, where Jesus had been laid in the tomb. They asked her why she was weeping; she told them because they have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they laid him. Then she turned around and saw Jesus. He said, “woman, why are you weeping?” Mary didn’t recognized Jesus and thought he was the gardener. She said to him, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away. Jesus said, “Mary!”. Mary said “Rabbouni” which means teacher in Hebrew. She recognized him then and I am assuming she was hugging him, because Jesus said to her, “stop holding on to me because I have not ascended to my Father yet. But go to my brothers and tell them I am going to My Father and your Father, my God and your God.” Then Mary went to the disciples and said, “I have seen the Lord” and told them what he told her.

Mary Magdalene is the saint I identify with the most because of my past. Jesus loved her so much, and it is evident in the gospels.