15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons.” (Luke 8:2).

“Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them; I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them His message. (John 20:18).

Mary Magdalene, “from whom He had cast out seven demons.” (Luke 8:2).

What is meant by “From whom Jesus had cast out seven demons?” Was she mentally ill? Did she have other weaknesses? Did she have a sinful life style? To these questions we find no answer.

By the action of Jesus, Mary Magdalene became a new person. She suffered heavily before meeting Jesus. In the encounter with Jesus her life became free from the tormenting burden of the past, of which there was no human solution.

Mary Magdalene seems to have been the leader of a group of women who followed Jesus from the beginning of His ministry.

They were sufficiently well off to pay for the expenses of Jesus and his disciples as Jesus toured towns and villages, preaching, healing and casting out demons. (Luke 8:1-3).

Mary Magdalene stayed loyal to Jesus even unto death and beyond death.

She is the first woman named as being among those who witnessed the crucifixion from a distance. (Mk 15:40). When all the disciples had cowardly fled. Together with another woman name Mary, she held out until the evening of the execution in order to determine where the body of Jesus would be laid after being taken down from the cross. (Mk 15:47).

According to Mk 16:2, Mary Magdalene was one of the women who came to the grave on Easter morning in order to anoint the corpse of Jesus.

In John 20:11-18, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at the open tomb and gave her the responsibility of witnessing to his resurrection before the disbelieving disciples.

“Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord”. Then she gave them His message.” (John 20:18).

Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how bad was yesterday, every morning you raise me up to a new beginning. A fresh start, A new life.

Singing a new song of hope and trust in you.

To “prosper and succeed in all I do.” (Joshua 1:8). To live “A rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).

Let me, like St. Mary Magdalene bring to those who no longer believe, and to those who do not yet believe the Good News. “About the wonderful things God has done” (Act 2:11), in my life. That they “also may live new lives” (Romans 6:4). Singing “A new song of Praise” (Psalm 95:2) Amen.

Mary Magdalene, pray for me that every morning, I may start afresh. “Singing a new song to the Lord for he has done wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 98:1).