15th Week, Saturday, July 22: St Mary Magdalene
Exodus 12:37-42 / Matthew 12:14-21
The Israelites leave Egypt; They went in haste without Preparation. Imagine you must flee for your life. Your only escape route is a vast desert. As you head into the hostile wasteland, you realize that your life is now endangered in a new way. You have no idea what direction to take or where food and water are to be found. This was the situation the Israelites faced as they headed into the Sinai desert. In a very real sense, they were repeating the "journey of faith" that God asked Abraham to make years before them. The "journey of faith" that Abraham and Israel made is one that God asks each of us to make, also.
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What do we find most difficult about our "journey of faith" through life? What keeps us trusting in God? "Lead, kindly Light . . . Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou my feet." John Henry Newman
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In the first reading we hear how the people of God start their march to a land of their own where they can serve God in freedom and be the living kingdom of God: the Promised Land. But the journey will be long, slow-paced, marked with sufferings, confusions and hesitations, momentary revolts and betrayals. But God is with them: he does not sleep, says today’s text. For the Hebrews and for us, God stands sentinel in the night.
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The story of the exodus is the story of God's leading his people from servitude to service. God is the subject of this story. God is the liberator. He wants his people to be free. In creation he has given man freewill. He made man in his own image and likeness. He wants his people to give him service in freedom. On the journey from bondage to the holy land of the free, they came to Mt Sinai. There he gives them the law that makes us free. God guides, he does not force. God's law gives the people security and peace, the tranquillity of the right order. The letter to the Hebrews says that the exodus was an adventure of Faith. Faith in the future made the people leave the fleshpots of Egypt. Faith in the God-appointed leader made them venture into the unknown future which was so full of foreseen hardships. Faith showed them that God was the greater value to serve.
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When it comes to talking about power and authority, we cannot deny that power and authority is mighty. It can acquire status and wealth and even mobilize armies to go to war. But besides the high and mighty, there are also ordinary people who fall into the temptation of resorting to power and might to get things going their way and also to get people to accept their ways. They will either brawl and shout to get their ideas and their ways across. That was the way of the Pharisees which we heard about in the gospel. They used their authority and influence to plot against Jesus and how to destroy him. It is a typical case of power and authority being abused and misused.
What about Jesus? As quoted from the prophet Isaiah: "He will not break the crushed reed, nor put out the smouldering wick until He has led the truth to victory". Indeed, the way of Jesus is gentleness and compassion. Let us remember that whatever power and authority we might have over others must be exercised with gentleness and compassion.
With power and authority comes the obligation to serve with love and truth. May our lives be rooted in love and truth so that the crushed may be healed and the faltering may be strengthened.
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Jesus is presented today as the servant of God who brings healing to the people without drawing attention to himself: He brings God’s tender care to people. He respects and heals what is little and brittle.
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Prayer: Lord our God, you gave us Jesus, your Son, as the wise and perfect servant of you and of the people. Put your Spirit on us too, that like him and with him we may bring your healing and justice to the weak and the dispossessed, without calling attention to ourselves, that people may see that what we give them is your tender care as taught us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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Feast day July 22
Mary Magdalene was one of Christ’s disciples. She has been identified with several Marys in the Gospel: Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus; Mary, the sinner who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears; Mary, a woman who cared for Jesus and his apostles on their journey. Today scholars believe that Mary Magdalene was not the sinful woman in Scripture although she has been confused with this unnamed woman for centuries.
Matthew, Mark, and John record that Mary of Magdala was present at the crucifixion of Jesus and that she was among the women who visited the tomb on Easter morning. Luke mentions her presence only at the tomb on Easter. According to John, Mary was especially privileged to see and speak to the risen Lord on Easter morning. She thought he was the gardener until he said her name.
So Mary Magdalene was near Jesus in his darkest hour and again in his most glorious hour. Moreover, she was an outstanding disciple of Jesus. Because Mary Magdalene was the one who brought the news of Jesus’ resurrection to the Apostles, she is called the Apostle to the Apostles. For centuries St. Mary Magdalene has been considered a model of complete generosity and of sincere sorrow for sin.
