This painting by early Renaissance painter Giotto depicts the scene where Jesus appears before Mary Magdalene. Mary Vitamin for July 22nd Feast of St. Mary Magdalen Topic: Gaining the affection of Mary by practicing courtesy Quote: "Saint Gregory Nazianzen assures us that 'there is nothing by which we can with greater certainty gain the affection of Mary then by charity towards our neighbor." St. Alphonsus di Liguori, The Glories of Mary, (Tan Books), 479. Meditation: The charity and courtesy of St. Mary Magdalen Why was St. Mary Magdalene unable to recognize the risen Christ? Why did she not recognize the Messiah after the Resurrection if she was one of the few that recognized the Messiah when "there was no beauty"? Was the Lord testing St. Mary Magdalene's charity? Did He want to leave a testimony of her great love? She treated someone to whom she thought stole the body of her Lord with great respect. After she spoke, Jesus revealed His identity to her. But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. John 20:11-17 Resolution: Today, I will work to win the affection of the Blessed Virgin Mary by speaking with courtesy. Marian Vow: St. Claude de la Colombiere "We have no reason to despise anyone. A humble man sees only his own faults. It is a sign of little virtue to notice the imperfections of others. A person may be imperfect today who in a little while, recognizing this, may rise to great sanctity." Mother M. Philip, I.B.V.M., arr. & ed. The Spiritual Direction of Saint Claude de la Colombiere,(Ignatius Press), 79. I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thanks be to God for graces received. Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria |
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