FEAST OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE

READINGS

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way?

I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 20:1-2, 11-18

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb . So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feetwhere the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him."When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 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.'"Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he told her. 

REFLECTION

Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way?

I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.

Mary Magdalene in the Gospel acclamation says, "I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb." There is no Biblical reference to this statement. But in the Gospel of John 20:13-14, she answers Jesus' question to explain why she was crying,

She thought He was the gardener and said to Him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." She did not recognize Jesus in His resurrected body until He said her name.

Peter, James, and John saw the Glory of Jesus when He transfigured on Mt. Tabor.

They seemed overwhelmed by the vision of Jesus transfigured into His glorified body.

Peter asked if they could set three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Spellbound by His beauty, Peter didn't want Him to leave.

At the last supper, Jesus institutes the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders. "And taking bread, he gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying: 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this as a commemoration of me.' Similarly also, he took the chalice, after he had eaten the meal, saying: 'This chalice is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.'" (Luke 22: 9-20)

The Holy Eucharist is Jesus transubstantiated into the bread and wine which becomes His most precious Body and Blood. Jesus' greatest miracle and gift to humanity was given to us and passed on through the priesthood at the Last Supper. Let us pray that the eyes of our hearts see the glory of the risen Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Here is the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.