In the optional First Reading of the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (2 Corinthians 5:14-17), Paul writes, “love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). It is to believe that we live no longer for ourselves but for Christ, who died for us all and was raised from the dead (2 Corinthians 5:15-16). This means that those who are convicted of the incarnated Christ’s death and resurrection, as compelled by his love, are living in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Now what does love of Christ compel you to do? How
does it affect your life, the way you live?
If you are truly touched by love of Christ and
compelled by it, then, you are no longer living for yourself but live in
Christ, living a Christ-centered life. And this is what Jesus demands us to be
his disciples (i.e. Matthew 10:37; 16:24; cf. Romans 12:1).
St. Mary Magdalene is a great example of what it means
to be compelled by love of Christ, as she was one of the female disciples, who provided
necessary material support for Christ and the twelve disciples out of their own
means (Luke 8:1-3). Had love of Christ not touched her life, Mary Magdalene
would not have been freed from seven demons (Luke 8:2) and could have not
followed him.
At that point in her life, Mary Magdalene no longer
lived for herself, as she decided to spend all she had for herself for Christ
and his mission, comparable to a poor widow’s offering (Mark 12:41-44//Luke
21:1-4). And this reflects what Jesus meant by the parable of the hidden
treasure (Matthew 13:44) and the parable of the precious pearl (Matthew
13:45-46), as these teach us to pour all we have, including our earthly lives,
for the Kingdom. Certainly, Mary Magdalene was fitting to be Christ’s disciple.
So her life had been in him ever since love of Christ touched her. Thus, love
of Christ compelled her to follow him from Galilee all the way to the foot of
his Cross in Jerusalem. So it means that Mary Magdalene was set to the Kingdom
when she began to pour all she had for Christ and his mission as she started to
follow him. Indeed, love of Christ compelled Mary Magdalene to love him, as
commanded by Deuteronomy 6:5, which says, “you shall love the Lord, your
God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole
strength”.
This is why Mary Magdalene was the leading female
disciple to be with Christ faithfully to the foot of his Cross, along with Mary
the mother of Christ (Matthew 27:55-56//Mark 15:40-41; John 19:25), though all
male disciples, except for John (John 19:26-27), ran away from him (Mark
14:50-51) for fear of losing their lives. Furthermore, she was present when his
body was buried in the tomb upon his death (Matthew 27:61//Mark 15:47) and came
to his tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, after the sabbath,
risking her life. She could have been arrested
and put to death if she were caught to be at his tomb, which was guarded, as
Matthew writes (Matthew 27:62-66).
As described in the Gospel Reading of her feast (John 20:1-2,
11-18), love of Christ compelled Mary Magdalene to come to the tomb where
Christ’s body was laid, after the sabbath, early in the morning, while it was
still dark. This indicates that she was firmly resolved to go wherever Christ was
and went, alive or dead. And her determination to seek him is like spousal
love, as reflected in the First Reading (Song of Songs 3:1-4b) and the
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9), though there was no physical relation between Christ and Mary Magdalene. Nothing kept her from seeking
Christ even after his burial, except for the observance of the sabbath.
It was, indeed, Mary Magdalene, who first proclaimed
the good news of the resurrection of the incarnated Christ, saying, “I have
seen the Lord!”(John 20:18). It was because she did not leave the tomb,
though Peter and John left upon inspecting it, she encountered the risen Christ
first among all the disciples (John 20:1-17). This is why St. Thomas Aquinas
called her as the apostle of the apostles, for proclaiming the resurrection of
the Lord, as done by Mary Magdalene, is essential to the apostolic mission
(i.e. 1 Corinthians 15:14-19).
Before the risen Christ promised the disciples to be
sent on mission upon receiving the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-22), Mary Magdalene
was sent to the rest of the disciples and proclaimed the resurrection of Christ
(John 20:18). And it was because nothing stopped and compromised her search of
Christ, upon denouncing to live for herself but for him, as his love compelled
her, and following him faithfully from Galilee all the way to the foot of his
Cross.
Has love of Christ compelled you to live like St. Mary
Magdalene, the apostle of the apostles?
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