Daily Gospel Reflection for July 22, 2015

Today's Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is a Biblical woman whom I really admire. After turning away from a life of sin, she passionately pursued Christ and the life that He offered her. Many scripture scholars cite her as the woman caught in adultery as well as the one who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. She is a woman of radical action and of great feeling.

I can’t even imagine being the one to discover the empty tomb. Most likely, I would have broken down crying, just as she did. And as Mary Magdalene turned to Jesus and looked at him through tear-stained eyes, she couldn’t even recognize Him. But as He called her name, she knew His identity. And then she acted. She took off running for the apostles to tell them the good news.

Mary Magdalene truly inspires me. I may get excited about my faith, but it isn’t until I take concrete action that it becomes relevant, and I must share it with others to make it come alive. Despite our lives of sin, the Lord calls out to us, just as He did to her, and invites us into His life. Let us accept His invitation.

Ponder:

Do I take advantage of opportunities to share my faith with others, or do I avoid those situations?

Pray:

Jesus, You invited Mary Magdalene to share Your resurrection with the apostles. May I learn from her example, letting the joy of Your Resurrection shine through my life. Amen.

We thank our friends at The Word Among Us for providing our gospel reflection team with copies of Abide In My Word 2015: Mass Readings at Your Fingertips. To pray the daily gospels with this wonderful resource, visit The Word Among Us.

Copyright 2015 Allison DeWolf