Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

July 22, 2022

Daily Reading from the USCCB: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Today the Church celebrates St. Mary Magdalene. Her finest hour was Easter Sunday. Finding Jesus’ tomb empty she goes back to town to tell the apostles, then returns. When Jesus comes onto the scene she first doesn’t recognize him, but when she does she embraces him with fervor. He sends her back to the apostles. And she goes with the news, “I have seen the Lord.”

Mary Magdalene is an attractive figure. She’s interested only in the Lord, and when she identifies him nothing else matters. She doesn’t want to let him go.

We are generally not as passionate about Jesus as Mary Magdalene was. But it’s right for us to look for him and to hang on to him when we have found him.