Word to the Wise
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - July 22 - St. Mary Magdalene
[Cant 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17 and John 20:1-2, 11-18]"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" [John]
JULY 22 ST. MARY MAGDALEN
Mary Magdalen is revered in the Dominican Order (the Order of Preachers) because we consider her to have been the first preacher to announce the good news of Jesus' resurrection. Eastern Church tradition refers to her as the "apostle to the apostles." There is much to be said about the church's attitude toward preaching by women. It is a subject of great sensitivity in the Dominican Order, to be sure, because our sisters, whether members of apostolic Dominican congregations or cloistered monasteries or Dominican Laity, are members of the Order of Preachers! I have reflected on this on this feast in the past. Today I want to respond to the dramatic scene of recognition that precedes Mary's preaching!
She had experienced a terrible loss. Her tears made it impossible to recognize the one who was standing there with her. It is only when Jesus calls her by name that she recognizes him and tries to hold on to him. He gently detaches her and sends her to announce the good news. It is a whiplash emotional situation, to go from terrible grief to incredulous joy in a few moments. Yet I suspect this is what gave power to her words, even if the disciples were initially skeptical!
Jesus' question, however, is addressed not only to Mary Magdalen but to all of us: "Whom are you looking for?" It is the question that any preacher must ask before we go out to announce the "good news." Have we first "recognized" Jesus and know whom it is that we will announce to a skeptical world? Can we bring that same passion to our announcement that Mary Magdalen brought to hers: "I have seen the Lord!"? Does our faith matter that much to us? AMEN