Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene
Today the church celebrates the Feast of Mary Magdeline. There has been a lot of conjecture about Mary Magdalene , most of it foolish and fostered by cinematographic imagination. From the Da Vinci code to the magazines focused for popular and a somewhat gullible population, stories proliferate about the supposed relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Perhaps it would be best to stay with scripture and be inspired by the words of the gospel and not someone else’s vivid imaginings. On her feast, the church recounts her grief at the death of Jesus, her acceptance of his resurrection, and her work as a disciple by spreading the news of Jesus’ resurrection. In these short lines from scripture, Mary Mageline captures the trajectory of the followers of Jesus and no doubt encouraged them as well. The gospel recalls the joy of Mary, but it is not a pleasure to be experienced by herself. To her is given the charge of spreading the good news of Christ’s triumph over death and the verification of all that he had preached. In this, she serves as a model of faith and discipleship. It is for this reason, her acceptance by faith and the desire to share what is known by faith, that she stands as one of the first disciples of Christ’s church.