Saint Mary Magdalene

Today we celebrate the memorial of the first witness to the resurrection of our Lord. In John's Gospel, 20:1-2, 11-18, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early and saw that the stone had been removed. Mary went and told Peter and the disciple Jesus loved. Then in the next passage, Mary is still outside the tomb weeping when she looks in and sees a vision of angels. Following that encounter a man comes up and asks her why she is weeping and she presumes he is the gardener, but once he called her by name, she recognized that it was the Lord. Jesus then gives her the instruction to go tell the brothers that he is going to the Father. She went back and reported to the disciples what the Lord had said. Mary Magdalene was healed by Jesus. He made her a new creation and she became a close follower. She is given the beautiful task of announcing to the others that the Lord is risen from the dead. Her witness of the resurrection is a wonderful example for all of us. We are called to proclaim the Good News. Proclaim that Jesus has won for us our salvation and rejoice that we have the promise of eternal life through his death and resurrection. We ask for Saint Mary Magdalene to intercede for us as we use a piece of the opening prayer for Mass: "By her prayers and example may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord and one day see him in glory