22 July: Feast of St Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene: the heart that consistently yearned for He who loved her.
Readings: Songs 3:1–4ab; Jn 20:1–2,11–18
Dear friends in Christ, today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, the female disciple of Jesus. After experiencing the saving touch of Jesus, the life of Mary Magdalene began to constantly yearn for the presence and closeness of Jesus, the Saviour who showed her love beyond human experience. In fact, her life was not complete again without the presence of Christ after the Divine touch of Christ upon her life. This was evidenced in the gospel reading of today. When Jesus was taken away from Mary Magdalene, her life was no longer complete, she couldn’t sleep again. For the three days that Jesus was in the tomb, she was always seen at the tomb crying, longing to see her Lord and Savior again, to feel His presence in her life again.
Do you feel comfortable whenever you are separated from Jesus? But then, what is it that can separate us from Jesus? Sin creates a barrier between us and God, and this barrier grows bigger as we fall deeper and deeper into sin. So, do you feel comfortable anytime sin takes away the Divine aura of Jesus from you? Do you feel okay after sin has separated you from Christ? How many days does it take you to rise and go back to Christ after falling into a sin?
Dear friends, the life of Mary Magdalene teaches us, who have all experienced the Divine touch of Jesus, that our hearts should not rest whenever anything separates us from Jesus who loves us so much, because He is the fount of life, and no true life exists outside His presence. Whose presence does your heart beat for? Jesus or the devil? A true Christian’s heart yearns for or beats for Christ always.
The barrier sin creates between us and Jesus can be demolished when we confess our sins, thereby submitting ourselves again to the healing touch of Jesus and to a new experience of God’s presence in us. Never grow comfortable in that life that separates you from the loving presence of Jesus who loves you so much.
May your new week be filled with God’s grace. Amen
Fr Isaac Chima