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The Other Mary’s Mission: Weekly Message for 04-06-2021
Dear Friends in Christ,
Faithful to Our Lord till the end of his earthy life were women, foremost among them the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A close second was Mary Magdalene, who went to the tomb on Easter Sunday with the intention of doing an anointing as one last act of reverence for her crucified Lord.
But alas – he was risen!
And not only did Christ appear to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, but he also bid her to take that good news to his apostles. “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).
Thus, Mary Magdalene would be known to history as the apostle to the apostles.
What might her example mean to us today?
It shows, among other things, the role of the laity in proclaiming Jesus as Lord. That role, therefore, was there from the beginning of the Church; it wasn’t a new idea concocted by the Second Vatican Council.
This role of the laity is as crucial as ever for the Church, for the simple fact that laypeople can go into venues where priests and religious can’t or shouldn’t tread. This includes the courtroom, the law office, the corporate board room, the newsroom, the TV studio, the soundstage.
Jesus’ commission to Mary Magdalene is a tip-off that the laity should feel empowered to take up their share of the reins in the task of evangelization.
And just as Mary Magdalene communicated with the apostles, so should the laity keep in touch with the successors of the apostles. This builds Church unity.
To tap into the spirit of the mission of Mary Magdalene, you might find helpful our Retreat Guide on “The Apostle to the Apostles.”
And may your Easter season inspire an evangelizing spirit.
In Christ,
Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest Contributor
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Thank you so much for this reflection. In participating in the Magdala virtual pilgrimages and watching « The Chosen » I have felt like I am coming to know St. Mary Magdalene: the hopelessness of her previous life; how her encounter with Jesus and his forgiveness so transformed her life. She was able to use all her gifts to sustain and further His mission which could not have been possible without that deep relationship of love with Him. This so exemplifies every Saint has a past and very sinner has a future. St. Mary Magdalene pray for us.