Saint Mary Magdalene, whose Feast is celebrated today worldwide, is so called because she came from a village in Galilee called Magdala. The Gospels tell us that she experienced some profound healing at the hands of Jesus. He cast out seven demons from her (Mark 16, 9 and Luke 8, 2). Let’s remember, though, that many maladies and illnesses were thought at the time to be caused by demonic infestation.
St. Mary Magdalene helped Jesus in His work and she was a witness to His Crucifixion. She was also the first witness to His Resurrection. In fact, in St. John’s Gospel, she is the only woman at the tomb (whereas in St. Matthew’s there are two, in St. Mark’s three, and in St. Luke’s an indeterminate number). Whatever the number, they were the first to know of the Resurrection of Jesus and they were sent to tell the news to the other disciples.
For reflection: the word “apostle” comes from the Greek apostellein, “to send” (which also gives us the English word “postal”). Therefore, the first apostles of the distinctive Christian proclamation of the Resurrection were women! Indeed, St. Mary Magdalene is traditionally known as “the apostle to the apostles.” May her good intercession help us embrace our own calling as “those sent to proclaim the Gospel, far and wide.”
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Hoy es día para alegrarnos con Santa María Magdalena, es su Día de Fiesta. No sabemos exactamente lo que fue antes de encontrarse con Jesús. Tampoco nos importa mucho. Lo cierto es que al encuentro con el Maestro aprendió a vivir de otra manera. Aprendió a amar y a amar mucho y sin medida. ¡Ojalá nosotros también aprendamos lo mismo!