Saint Mary Magdalene - July 22

Saint Mary Magdalene 

July 22

Mary, a Jewish girl living in the Gentile town called Magdale, experienced Jesus in a very personal way when he expelled seven demons from her body.  Never wanting to be separated from Him again, Mary then chose to follow Jesus for the rest of her life.

As one of Christ's disciples, Mary was present at Our Lords’ Crucifixion (Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:56), and according to Saint Mark's account (16:9), early on the morning of the resurrection, she was the first to see the risen Lord.

 "Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?"  She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!"  She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher.  Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20: 15-18)

"Every Christian relives the experience of Mary Magdalene.  it involves an encounter which changes our lives: the encounter with a unique man who lets us experience all God's goodness and truth, who frees us from evil not in a superficial and fleeting way, but sets us free radically, heals us completely and restores our dignity.  This is why Mary Magdalene calls Jesus "my hope":  he was the one who allowed her to be reborn, who gave her a new future, a life that is good, full, and eternal, for God himself has drawn near to us, even sharing our humanity."  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

For items related to the Catholic Church
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Art
The Penitent Magdalene - Guido Reni
The Crucifixion with Mary Magdalene - Luca Signorelli
The Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene - Alexander Ivanov
Touch Me Not - Correggio