Saint Mary Magdalene

Sermon preached on the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, July 21 (Eve) and July 22, 2006
Judith 9:1,11-14; 2 Corinthians 5:14-18; John 20:11-18; Psalm 42:1-7

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last few years, you've probably heard about Mary Magdalene. She has been dragged through novels, movies, TV shows, magazines, and many other places. If you want fantastic stories that have little to no basis in history then I guess go read the books and see the movies and become facinated.

A little historical background is sometimes helpful. The Gospels that we read in church were all written down within 30 to 50 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. His initial followers began to die off and accurate records of Jesus' ministry were written down from their recollections. These accounts are often blunt and brief. They don't fill in many of the holes that people sometimes want filled, so over the next few centuries other stories began to appear. Most of these are wild tales about Jesus followers and Jesus himself. There are stories about Jesus as a child getting mad at his teacher and killing him, then feeling bad and rasing him up. If you want wild stories, there are plenty of them. The Gospel accounts just aren't wild enough for some people... then or now. It seems that what was true for filling in the holes of Jesus life is also true for filling in the holes in the lives of the saints.

If we actually look at the Gospel accounts we find out all we need to know about Mary Magdalene. She had been possessed by demons, but her encounter with Jesus changed her life. when he healed her. She went looking for Jesus' body after he died and instead she encountered Jesus risen from the dead. She then went and told everyone else.

In our own lives, wouldn't it be great if the final word was... "an encounter with Jesus changed her life... and she went and told everyone else!" Let the Spirit work in your life in such a way that you can overcome whatever is keeping you from telling the Good News to others.