FEAST OF MARY MAGDALENE - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Tell us, Mary: say
what thou didst see upon the way.
– The tomb the Living did enclose;
I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!

SONG OF SONGS 3:1-4 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Mary Magdalene in doing so she wishes to remind us that there is hope for every sinner. No one is so lost that salvation is hopeless. This is the reason why the Father sent You into the world - You came to seek and save the lost. As long as we have breath You reach out Your hands to us and invite us to come to You, be healed by You, to rest in You, to be nourished by You, and above all to be one with You in this life and eternally in the glorious life that awaits all who believe in You, hope in You, and love You.

May ours be the passionate love song that the Beloved sings to You, our Bridegroom, may all my thoughts be of You and consume my heart, mind, soul, body, and spirit night and day.  When I sin may I have no rest until I seek You and finding You throw myself into Your loving embrace certain that I will find forgiveness, mercy, healing, compassion, and loving kindness in You gracious response to my repentant heart and contrite spirit.

Thank You for redeeming me and claiming me as Your own.

PSALM 63:2-6,8-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I want to thank You for the grace of loving You. You are my all my Lord and my God, having You I have need of no one and nothing - You satisfy the hungry heart, You are the beloved Friend and Companion of all who hear Your voice and respond to Your invitation to follow You. All our longings, all our hunger, and thirst, all our spiritual and physical needs are met and sated in You.

Thank You, Father, for sending us Your Son. Thank You for knowing how much we will need Him so we can journey safely from this life to the life that awaits us in eternity. Thank You for not leaving us orphans after Your resurrection but leaving a lasting Presence for us in the Eucharist. Thank You for Your Presence with us always in our Tabernacles in every Church so Your poor pilgrims can come and gaze on You and be fed by You. Your love meets and satisfies every need and longing.

May I praise You as long as I have breath in my body. May my hands never tire of being raised up to You in gratitude, worship, and thanksgiving. May my lips never tire of speaking of You and telling everyone I meet how wonderfully good, faithful, loving, kind, and compassionate You are.  

May I cling to You always. May I never doubt Your mercy. No matter how gravely I have sinned or how many times I repeat the same sins may I run to You and beg Your mercy and forgiveness confident that You will wipe away my tears, heal my wounded spirit and cleanse me of all my sins and my guilt.

Do not let go of me my Lord and grant that I may never let go of You. Amen.

JOHN 20:1-2,11-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You took upon Yourself the sins of the whole world, all the corruption that our flesh is prone to, and every evil that our minds can conceive and execute. You bore them all until You made perfect atonement in Your lacerated flesh and Your pierced heart and only then gave up Your Spirit into the hands of Your Father, crying out in a loud voice, 'It is finished.'

Mary Magdalene, a faithful and loving disciple stayed at the foot of the Cross with Your mournful Mother to the end and on the first day of the week, Sunday, hurried to the tomb. She was the first witness to the empty tomb and she was the first disciple to whom You entrusted the good news of our salvation. Death is routed, evil is trounced, God has won a triumphant, resounding, complete, unconditional, and everlasting victory.

What the angels said to Mary Magdalene heaven says to us all, 

‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ And when we reveal that it is You we are looking for, You Yourself come to us, call us by our name as You did that glorious day when You said to her, "Mary!"  You know our name and You whisper it gently always cajoling us, inviting us, and reminding us that You are with us always for You are Emmanuel - God with us. The Good News of our salvation entrusted to Mary is entrusted to all Your disciples, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’