Said Judas to Mary, “Now what will you do With your ointment so rich and so rare?”

“I’ll pour it all over the feet of the Lord, And I’ll wipe it away with my hair;’

she said, “I’ll wipe it away with my hair.”

“0 Mary, 0 Mary, 0 think of the poor. This ointment, it could have been sold;

And think of the blankets and think of the bread You could buy with the silver and gold;’

he said, “You could buy with the silver and gold.”

“Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll think of the poor; Tomorrow;’ she said, “not today;

For dearer than all of the poor in the world is my Love who is going away;’

she said, “My Love who is going away?’

Said Jesus to Mary, “Your love is so deep. Today, you may do as you will.

Tomorrow, you say, I am going away, But my body I leave with you still;’

He said, My body I leave with you still.”

We should reflect on Mary’s attitude and the great love she felt for Christ; for though the disciples had left the tomb, she remained. She was still seeking the one she had not found, and while she sought she wept; burning with the fire of love, she longed for him who she thought had been taken away. And so it happened that the woman who stayed behind to seek Christ was the only one to see him. For perseverance is essential to any good deed, as the voice of truth tell us: “Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.”

from a homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great

Collect for St Mary Magdalene’s day:
Almighty God, whose Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of mind and body and called her to be a witness to his resurrection: forgive us our sins, we beseech thee, and heal us by thy grace, that we may serve thee in the power of his risen life; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen

The post July 22nd: The Magnificent Magdalene first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Thoughts on Infinite Mercy and St. Mary Magdalene

PRESENCE OF GOD: Teach me, 0 Lord, the secrets of Your mercy that I may fully profit by them.

MEDITATION 1. God’s love for us assumes a very special claim, one that is adapted to our nature as frail, weak creatures: the character of mercy. Mercy is love bending over to relieve it, to redeem it, to raise it up to itself. It almost seems that God, in loving us, is attracted by our weakness, not because it is lovable, but because, being infinite goodness, His compassion stoops to compensate for it by His mercy.

He wants to heal our imperfection by His infinite perfection, our impurity by His purity, our ignorance by His Wisdom, our selfishness by His goodness, our weakness by His strength: God, the supreme, eternal good, wants to be the remedy for all our ills, “for He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 102:14).

Since our greatest evil-rather, the only real evil-is sin, infinite mercy would be the remedy. Assuredly, God hates sin, but, although He is forced to withdraw His friendship that is, His grace, from the soul of the sinner because of the offense, His mercy still finds a way of continuing to love. If He can no longer love him as a friend, He loves him as a creature, as the work of His hands; He loves him for the that is still in him and which gives hope of his conversion. God’s mercy is so immense that no misery, however great can exhaust it; not even the most infamous sin, providing it be repented of, can halt it. This sad power is reserved to one thing only; the proud will of man by which he disdainfully shuts himself up in his wickedness, not wishing to admit how great is his need of God’s infinite mercy. In such a case, in spite of the immensity of divine mercy, the solemn words of the Gospel are fulfilled : “God hath scattered the proud the conceit of their heart, He hath put down the mighty from their seats … the rich He hath sent empty away” (Lk.1: 51-53).

2. There is no limit to God’s mercy. He never rejects us because of our sins, He never grows weary of our infidelities, never refuses to forgive us. He is always ready to forgive our offenses and to repay our ingratitude with graces. He never reproaches us for our offenses, even when we fall again immediately after being forgiven. He is never angered by our repeated failures or weakness in the practice of virtue, but always stretches out His hand to us, wanting to help us. When men condemn us, God shows mercy to us; He absolves us and sends us away justified, as Jesus did with the woman taken in adultery. “Go, and now sin no more”(Jn.8:11). By His words and example, Jesus has shown us the inexhaustible depths of God’s mercy. Let us think of the prodigal son, the lost sheep, Magdalene, and the good thief. But He has also said to us: “Be ye therefore merciful, as Your Father also is merciful” (Lk.6:36).

How far does our mercy go? How much compassion do we have for the faults of others? The measure of our mercy toward our neighbor will be the measure of God’s mercy toward us, for Jesus said, “With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Mt. 7:2) God does not require us to be sinless but that He may shower upon us the fullness of His mercy, but He does require us to be merciful to our neighbor, and moreover, to be humble.

In fact to be sinners is not enough to attract divine mercy; we must also humbly acknowledge our sins and turn to God with complete confidence. “What pleases God,” said St. Therese of Lisieux, ” is to see me love my littleness and poverty; it is the blind hope I have in His mercy. This is my sole treasure.” This is the treasure which supplies for all our miseries, weaknesses, relapses and infidelities, because by means of this humility and confidence we shall obtain the divine Mercy. And with this at our disposal, how can our wretchedness discourage us?

Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene (Divine Intimacy)

PRAYER TO SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Saint Mary Magdalene, woman of many sins, who by conversion became the beloved of Jesus, thank you for your witness that Jesus forgives through the miracle of love. You, who already possess eternal happiness in His glorious presence, please intercede for me, so that some day I may share in the same everlasting joy. Amen.

Isaiah 1:18

Says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Luke 7:47

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much.

But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

We find the very same message echoing like a refrain throughout the

Diary of St. Faustina:

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Jesus said to her: I am Love and Mercy itself (1074).

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My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and espe­cially for poor sinners ;

it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from my Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy (367).

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Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (699).

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My mercy is greater than your sins, and those of the entire world (1485).

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I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then with trust to draw graces from this fountain (1485).

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Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (1146).

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I never reject a contrite heart (1485).

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Sooner would heaven and earth turn into noth­ingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul (1777).

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Proclaim to the whole world My unfath­omable mercy (1142).

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Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God.

All the works of My hand are crowned with mercy (301).

Jesus loved .. Mary. (Jn.11:5)

SAINT MARY MAGDALEN was the privileged friend of Jesus. She served Him with her wealth and accompanied Him everywhere. She honored His humanity magnificently with her gifts. She loved to pray at His feet in the silence of contempla­tion. For all these reasons she is the patroness and model of a life spent in the adoration and service of Jesus in the Sacrament of His love. Let us study Saint Mary Magdalen; her life is full of the very best lessons.

JESUS loved Martha, her sister Mary, and Lazarus; but especially Mary. Certainly He loved the three of them, but He loved Magdalen with preferential love. Although our Lord loves us all, He nevertheless has His favorite friends, and He allows us also have special friends in God. Friends are a natural and even supernatural need. All the saints had bosom friends, and they themselves were the most affectionate and devoted of friends.

Before her conversion Magdalen was a public sinner. She possessed all the qualities of mind and body and all the gifts of fortune that can lead one to the worst excesses. And she fell into them. The Gospel lowers her to the rank of a public sinner. She was so degraded that Simon the Pharisee felt disgraced when she entered his home. And he even doubted the prophetic power of Jesus because the Master allowed her to remain at His feet.

But after having been forgiven, this poor sinful woman was to take her place among the greatest saints. See her at work. Human respect is, more than anything else, what holds back great sinners and prevents them from being converted. “I will not be able to persevere,” they say. “I dare not start what I cannot finish.” And disheartened, they go no further.

But Magdalen learned that Jesus was in Simon’s house. She did not hesitate, but went straight to Jesus and made her confession in public. She dared enter a house from which she would heave been shamefully expelled had she been recognized at the door. While at the feet of Jesus, she said not a word; her love spoke audibly enough. Artists have painted her with disheveled hair and disorderly dress; that is all imagination; it would not have been worthy either of Jesus or of her contrition.

She went straight to Jesus without mistaking anyone else for Him. But where had she known Him? Ah! An ailing heart knows well where to find the One that will comfort and cure it!  Mary dared not look upon Jesus. She said nothing: true contrition acts that way. Look at the Prodigal Son and at the Publican. The sinner who looks God full in the face after having offended Him insults Him. But Mary wept: she “washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head.” Her place is at the feet of Jesus. These feet trod the earth, and she knew she was but the dust of a corpse. The world is extremely fond of beautiful hair; she used hers as a rag.

She remained prostrate on the ground, awaiting her sentence. She heard the remarks made by the envious Apostles and Jews who honored only triumphant and crowned virtue. They did not like Magdalen who was teaching everyone of them a lesson; for everyone of them had sinned, but not one had the courage to ask pardon publicly. Simon himself, bloated with pride and hypocrisy, grew indignant. But Jesus avenged Magdalen. What beautiful words of re­habilitation: “More has been forgiven her because she has loved more …. Thy faith hath made thee safe,” said the Savior to her. “Go in peace.” He did not add: “Sin no more.” Jesus had said this to the adulteress, who was more humiliated for having been caught in the act than repentant for having offended God. But Magdalen had no need of that advice; her love assured Jesus’ of her firm purpose of amendment. What a beautiful and touching absolution! Magdalen must have had a very perfect contrition! When you go to confes­sion, unite yourself to Magdalen and let your con­trition, like hers, proceed more from love than from fear.

Magdalen withdrew after having received this baptism of love. By her humility she became more perfect than the Apostles. Ah! Despise sinners now if you dare! One moment is enough to turn them into great saints. How many among the greatest has not Jesus Christ drawn from the mire of sin: Saint Paul, Saint Augustine, and many others! Magdalen opens the way for them; she ascended to the very Heart of God because she started very low and knew how to humble herself. Who then has a right to despair?

MAGDALEN’S love became active after her conversion. That is an important lesson. Many converted sinners do nothing else beyond being converted. They want to remain in the peace of a good conscience through fidelity to the Commandments. They dare not follow Jesus, and they end by relapsing into sin. Man cannot live on tears and regrets. You have destroyed the ob­jects to which your heart was so attached and of which you lived; you must substitute something else and live of the life of God.

You want to re­main at the feet of Jesus? He rises to go; follow Him and walk with Him. And so Magdalen be­gan to follow Jesus; she was never to leave Him. We find her again at His feet, listening to His words and pondering them in her heart. That was the grace of her life. She had no language other than meditation, prayer, and love. She followed Jesus and practiced the virtues proper to His vary­ing conditions of life. A conversion that does not go beyond sentiment is not lasting.

Mary shared the different states of Jesus. During His journeys she procured for Him what He required for His own subsistence and that of His Apostles. Jesus was frequently to come to the home of His hosts in Bethany; by way of exchange’ He gave them a food of grace and love. On each occasion Mary sat at His feet and remained there in prayer. Martha became envious of her once, as do all those who think there is only one good state of life, one good way of living. Every state of life is good. The one you have is good; persevere in it, but do not despise the others. When Martha waited on Jesus, she was doing something good; but she was wrong in being envious of her sister. You know how Jesus answered her and defended Magdalen. It is better to listen to His voice than to wait on Him. It still happens that people en­gaged in active callings complain of contemplative souls: “You are useless! Come along and work for the salvation of your brethren in charitable’ undertakings.” But Jesus defends them. Must not one also practice charity towards Jesus Christ, Who is so poor and abandoned in His sacrament? Magdalen heard that dialogue and her sister’s complaints; but she did not answer them. She was at the Savior’s feet, and she remained there.

Another characteristic trait of Magdalen’s active love is suffering; she suffered with Jesus Christ. No doubt she knew beforehand of her Master’s death; friends have no secrets for each other. And if Jesus revealed His Passion to His Apostles who were so rude, why would He have concealed it from Magdalen?

See Magdalen in her suffering love. She went where men were afraid to go; she ascended Cal­vary; she forsook her dearly loved family; she fol­lowed the suffering Lord to the very end. And we find her with Mary at the foot of the Cross. The Gospel mentions her by name, and she cer­tainly deserves it. What was she doing there? She loved and sympathized. A friend wants to share the condition of his friend. Love fuses two lives, two existences into one Magdalen did not stand; she remembered she had been a sinner, and she remained on her knees. Mary alone stood, im­molating her dearly beloved Son, her Isaac.

Magdalen stayed there until after the death of Jesus. She returned on the morning of the first day of the week. She knew very well that Jesus was buried; but she wanted still to suffer and to weep. The Gospel praises the zeal of the other women and the magnificence of their gifts; it speaks only of the tears of Magdalen. She is the Christian heroine. More than all the saints Mag­dalen shows us the immensity of divine mercy.

St. Peter Julian Eymard

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“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, Lord.”

“Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again!”

(Chapter 8 of St. John’s Gospel)

In the Sacrament of Penance it is Christ who forgives.

They placed her in the midst, says the Gospel. They have humiliated her and shamed her in the extreme, without the slightest concern for her. They remind Our Lord that the Law imposed the severe penalty of death by stoning for this sin. “What do you say?”, they ask him, disguising their ulterior motives so that they might have some charge to bring against him. But Jesus surprises them all. He does not say anything; He bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

The woman is terrified by them all. The Scribes and Pharisees go on asking questions. Then, Jesus stood up and said to them, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone”. And once more He bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

They all went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest. Not one of them had a clear conscience and they were trying to set a trap for Our Lord. All of them went away. And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Jesus’ words are full of gentleness and clemency, a manifestation of God’s infinite mercy and forgiveness. We can imagine the enormous joy of that woman, her desire to begin again; her deep love for Christ.

Such a deep change has taken place in that woman’s soul, stained by sin and suffused with her public shame, that we can only partly see the alteration in her with the light of faith. Every day, in every corner of the world, Jesus, through his ministers, the priests, continues to say “I absolve you from your sins ”. It is Christ himself who forgives. The sacramental formula, “I absolve you” … and the imposition of the hand and the sign of the Cross made over the penitent show that at this moment the contrite and converted sinner comes into contact with the power and mercy of God. It is the moment at which, in response to the penitent, the Trinity becomes present in order to blot out sin and restore innocence. And the saving power of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus is also imparted to the penitent … God is always the one who is principally offended by sin – and God alone can forgive.

The words pronounced by the priest are not just a prayer of supplication to ask God to forgive our sins, or a mere certification that God has deigned to grant us his pardon, but at that moment every sin is forgiven and blotted out by the mysterious intervention of the Savior.

 Few words have ever produced more joy in the world than the words of absolution, “I absolve you from your sins” … St Augustine affirms that the wonder they work is greater than the very creation of the world. How glad are we to receive these words when we go to the sacrament of forgiveness? How grateful are we? How often have we thanked God for having this sacrament close at hand? In our prayer today we can show Our Lord our gratitude for this great gift.

Fr. Francis Fernandez (In conversation with God)

The post Go, and sin no more. first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #110722 ( 06min) Play – On this feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Father Dominic preaches on the immense love St. Mary Magdalene had for Our Lord.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Mary Magdalene, Penitent   – 3rd Cl – Form: EF, Me Exspectaverunt
Readings:
1st: son 3:2-5;8,6-7
Gsp: luk 7:36-50

Mass: Audio (MP3)

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The post Jul 22 – Homily – Fr Dominic: St. Mary Magdalene, She Has Loved Much first appeared on AirMaria.com.

“I never reject a contrite heart.” (Diary of St. Faustina #1485)

 (Isaiah 1:18):  “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

 (Luke 7:47): “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

There is no limit to God’s mercy. He never rejects us because of our sins, He never grows weary of our infidelities, never refuses to forgive us. He is always ready to forgive our offenses and to repay our ingratitude with graces. He never reproaches us for our offenses, even when we fall again immediately after being forgiven. He is never angered by our repeated failures or weakness in the practice of virtue, but always stretches out His hand to us, wanting to help us. When men condemn us, God shows mercy to us; He absolves us and sends us away justified, as Jesus did with the woman taken in adultery. “Go, and now sin no more”(Jn.8:11). By His words and example, Jesus has shown us the inexhaustible depths of God’s mercy. Let us think of the prodigal son, the lost sheep, Magdalene, and the good thief. But He has also said to us: “Be ye therefore merciful, as Your Father also is merciful” (Lk.6:36).

How far does our mercy go? How much compassion do we have for the faults of others? The measure of our mercy toward our neighbor will be the measure of God’s mercy toward us, for Jesus said, “With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Mt. 7:2) God does not require us to be sinless but that He may shower upon us the fullness of His mercy, but He does require us to be merciful to our neighbor, and moreover, to be humble.

In fact to be sinners is not enough to attract divine mercy; we must also humbly acknowledge our sins and turn to God with complete confidence. “What pleases God,” said St. Therese of Lisieux, ” is to see me love my littleness and poverty; it is the blind hope I have in His mercy. This is my sole treasure.” This is the treasure which supplies for all our miseries, weaknesses, relapses and infidelities, because by means of this humility and confidence we shall obtain the divine Mercy. And with this at our disposal, how can our wretchedness discourage us?

PRAYER TO SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Saint Mary Magdalene, woman of many sins, who by conversion became the beloved of Jesus, thank you for your witness that Jesus forgives through the miracle of love. You, who already possess eternal happiness in His glorious presence, please intercede for me, so that some day I may share in the same everlasting joy. Amen

+Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene (Divine Intimacy)

The post Contrition, Mercy and Forgiveness first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #150722b ( 07min) Play – Fr. Alan on how St. Mary Magdalene was transformed from being a notorious sinner to being a great saint.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Mary Magdalene – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: son 3:1-4
Resp: psa 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28
Gsp: joh 20:1-2, 11-18

Audio (MP3)

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The post Jul 22 – Homily – Fr Alan: Magdalene, Sinner to Saint first appeared on AirMaria.com.

This is a reflection given by Fr. Andre M. Feain on the readings for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 12th 2016.

Ave Maria!

Mass: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday
Readings: 
1st: 2sa 12:7-10, 13
Resp: psa 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
2nd: gal 2:16, 19-21
Gsp: luk 7:36-8:3

Audio (MP3)

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The post Jun 12 – Homily – Fr Andre: The God of Love first appeared on AirMaria.com.

How great the tale, that there should be,

In God’s Son’s Heart, a place for me!

That on a sinner’s lips like mine

The cross of Jesus Christ should shine!

Christ Jesus, bend me to thy will,

My feet to urge, my griefs to still;

That even my flesh and blood may be

A temple sanctified to Thee.

No rest, no calm my soul may win,

Because my body craves to sin;

Till thou, dear Lord, thyself impart

Peace on my head, light in my heart.

May consecration come from far,

Soft shining like the evening star.

My toilsome path make plain to me,

Until I come to rest in thee.

The post Sinner to Saint first appeared on AirMaria.com.

On the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (Holy Woman, Disciple of Jesus, July 22, 2019), Fr. Alan draws out the lesson from the example of Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, as related in Pope St. Gregory the Great’s commentary on today’s Gospel. Magdalene displayed the first requisite for holiness: an ardent desire for it.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

Readings: 
1st: 2 Cor 5:14-17
Resp: Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Gsp: Jn 20:1-2, 11-18

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1112

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The post First Key to Holiness: the Lesson of Mary Magdalene – Jul 22 – Homily – Fr Alan first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Oh most merciful Jesus, I give these thanks for that work of piety which the Blessed Mary Magdalene wrought on Thee, when she washed Thy feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed them and anointed them with fragrant ointment. She then obtained from Thee such signal grace that Thou didst pour into her heart and soul so great love of Thee, that she could love nothing apart from Thee. Beseeching Thee that by her merits and intercessions Thou would give to me tears of true repentance and pour into my heart Thy divine love. Amen. 

Saint Mary Magdalene said to St. Mechtilde : Whoever shall give God thanks for all the tears I shed upon the feet of Jesus: our most merciful God will grant them through my intercession remission of all their sins before their death and a great increase of love of God.

The post A Traditional Prayer to St. Mary Magdalene: Feast Day is July 22nd first appeared on AirMaria.com.