July 22, 2022 – Feast of St. Mary of Magdala

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072222.cfm)

Lately, we could say we suffered great losses during these pandemic times. Somehow almost all of us have lost in one way or the other, someone or something significant in life. And usually, our experience of great loss could dishearten, discourage & even disorient us in life. Losing someone & something significant in life could somehow cause us to lose our heart and our way in life.

Mary Magdalene must have also felt the same way when she lost her beloved Lord Jesus in her life. Somehow when Jesus died on the cross, Mary Magdalene lost also her heart and her way to a point where she did not & cannot anymore recognize the presence of the risen Lord with her.

However, in our great loss & suffering, Mary Magdalene could also teach us how to experience resurrection in our lives. Amidst her suffering & loss, eventually Mary Magdalene also have witnessed & experienced anew the calling, presence, & challenge of our risen Lord with her. By allowing herself to weep & grieve over her losses, and persevering in love in times of losing her heart & way, Mary have experienced anew the voice, the heart & the way of the risen Lord. In the same way, in times of great loss & suffering, like Mary Magdalene, we may also witness anew the presence & life of resurrection with the risen Lord by not denying, but allowing our grieving over our losses while persevering in our faith & love with our Lord.

Remember Mary Magdalene renewed her heart, her ways & her faith, because she witnessed Lord’ resurrection & the presence of the risen Lord anew, as she allowed herself to weep & grieve over her losses and persevere & keep her love & faith in Jesus Christ. In effect, Mary Magdalene became not only the “Apostle of the Apostles” but also the first witness, sharer & proclaimer of the Lord’s resurrection & the presence of our risen Lord in our midst today.

So also, whatever we are grieving over these days caused by the losses & sufferings of pandemic times, like Mary Magdalene, let us be open with our persevering love & faith to go through our weeping & grieving, as so make us recognize & witness what better life has our risen Lord in store for our life ahead.

So Be it. So May it be. Amen.