Be Like St. Mary Magdalene

23 Tuesday Jul 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

Tags

Accompaniment, Apostle to the Apostles, Discipleship, John 20: 1-2, John 20: 11-18, Mary of Magdala, Missionary Discipleship, St. Mary Magdalene

Be like St. Mary Magdalene. I don’t mean go and get possessed by seven demons. No, be like her after she met Jesus.

Today is the feast day for St. Mary Magdalene. Yes, her feast day, not just a memorial. Pope Francis recognized her important role as a witness to Christ’s resurrection and, in 2016, raised her celebration from a memorial to a feast day on the same level as the Apostles.

Today’s Gospel, John 20: 1-2, 11-18, recounts the event of the morning after Jesus was crucified and buried. Out of love for Jesus and a burning desire to be with Him, Mary of Magdala went to Jesus’ tomb at the break of dawn, only to discover that the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was no longer there. She ran to tell the news to Peter and John, who raced back to the tomb to see for themselves. Acknowledging that Jesus was gone, but not understanding why, they left and returned home.

Mary, however, stayed at the tomb and wept for her beloved Jesus. She entered the tomb and was approached by Jesus whom she mistakenly thought was the gardener. Jesus told her to stop holding on to Him, and sent her to tell His brothers that He had not yet ascended to the Father. She obeyed and returned to the disciples announcing that she had, “‘Seen the risen Lord,’ and what He told her.”

By returning to her friends, the disciples, Mary became the Apostle to the Apostles, and was the first to evangelize and proclaim Christ’s resurrection, thus earning her place in that select group.

What do I mean by saying “Be like St. Mary Magdalen”? Well, first, we need to develop a loving relationship with Jesus like she did. We need to allow Jesus to save us from our sins. Then, like Mary, we need to spend time with Jesus, building and strengthening that relationship through prayer, listening to Him, and living our lives as He would have us live them. And, finally, we need to heed Jesus’ words to her and tell others about His resurrection. Jesus is sending us on mission. We are all called to be apostles, called to evangelize.

But, you might argue, Mary was sent to the Apostles who already believed in Jesus, men who already had a relationship with Him. That’s right, and we are sent to do the same. We often think of evangelizing as proclaiming the gospel to those who don’t believe. It certainly is, but we can also evangelize those who come to mass every week or most of the time; those who might occasionally attend a study class because they are wanting to learn more; and those who secretly have their doubts about some aspect of our faith. We are called to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus. Like Mary, we can do that by showing our love and devotion to Jesus in prayer, in the Eucharist, and not keeping our faith private. We can reach out to friends and acquaintances, delighting in them and valuing their dignity by inviting them into conversation and offering friendship and hospitality.

Evangelizing in this way will move those who believe but who minimally live their faith, and those who are seeking and growing in their faith, towards being fully missionary disciples. If we are to live out the central mission of our Catholic faith, we are required to make disciples of all nations. We can only do that by building an army of missionary disciples who are willing to evangelize both externally and internally.

You can be like St. Mary Magdalene.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the St. Marys of Magdala that You put into my life. I would not be the disciple that I am today if missionary disciples who had an intense love for You and a desire to proclaim Your Kingdom had not accompanied me on my faith journey. Lord, I pray for the grace to pay this forward and help others draw closer to You and Your Son, Jesus. Amen.”

(Be Like St. Mary Magdalene, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

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Road Trip Reflections: “Come Away with Me”

22 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer, Road Trips

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Tags

Come Away with Me, Desert time, Evangelization, Mark 6:30-34, Mark 6:31, Reflection, Rest, Retreat, Road Trips, Silent Retreat

I just returned home after an eight-hour drive today from Missouri where I visited my mother. I drove down to see her on Friday. This was my first visit since my father passed away in March. We had a nice reunion and some good conversation.

Before I left Friday I had a few friends tell me, as they often do, that I am crazy for all the driving I do. I suppose for most folks, it looks that way. While even a two-hour drive may be loathsome and cause tired tushes for some, I don’t think twice about taking an eight to twelve hour road trip or even going across country. I’m fortunate that my wife enjoys a good road trip, also, but every now and then it’s a welcome respite to spend hours behind the wheel alone. I think the introvert in me appreciates that time for recharging.

Last Monday I met with a group of men and we discussed this morning’s Gospel, Mk 6:30-34 relating to the apostles return from their mission of preaching in the nearby villages. As we went around the table sharing what the Word was saying to each of us, my reflection focused on verse 31, “Jesus said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’” Jesus knew they needed some downtime without distractions, and He knows we need it, too. He calls us each day to spend time alone with Him, at least 20 minutes in prayer, in solitude and silence, meditating on His Word, and listening to His will for us that day.

As I began my drive on Friday, that conversation bubbled up and it struck me that this is exactly why I love a solitary road trip – to “Come away” by myself with Him! I’m in the desert for hours at a time, in a silent retreat, no music or podcasts, with just me driving and Jesus in the passenger seat navigating me through life. It truly is a relaxing few hours where I tell Him what’s on my mind and then listen to His response.

He brings to mind past sins about which I’m not too proud; reveals to me my predominant faults; and helps me see ways to grow in virtue. We converse about my relationships, with whom I need to be more charitable, and how I should love others the way they deserve to be loved. And, we brainstorm ways in which I can evangelize, proclaiming the Kingdom, so that I might bring others to know Him and receive His love.

But even in this peaceful time, the Enemy still puts a few potholes in my path. About half way into my eight hour drive on Friday, I received a phone call from the repair shop with their estimate of over two thousand dollars to repair my lawn mower. I told them I needed some time to consider if it was worth it. I got a little anxious for a few minutes, but then I thought, “I’m not going to let them steal my peace! This business can wait until Monday”, and then got back into my silent retreat.

Then today, I stopped at a rest area and checked a couple text messages I’d received from siblings, flabbergasted over today’s news regarding the political presidential race. Exiting out of them, I thought, “I’m not getting pulled into this and let it steal my peace, either! It can wait until November when I can vote and do the only thing there is for me to do other than pray.” And, I got back on the highway with my co-pilot.

I made it home after dark, unloaded my truck, put things away, took the trash cans to the street, and still had enough energy to jot down these thoughts. I feel rested and ready to get back to work tomorrow creating ways to build an evangelizing culture in our parish.

“Lord Jesus, I so enjoyed our time together this weekend! Thank You for traveling with me, keeping me safe, and drawing me closer to You. Thank you for inviting me to “Come away with You”, and for the grace to say, “Yes!”. Thank you for the time with my mother, and for our conversations reminiscing about Dad. Amen.”

(Road Trip Reflections: “Come Away with Me”, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)