SAINT MARY MAGDALENE (FEAST)

I sought him whom my heart loves. 

Looking for someone we cannot find: we all know what that feels like! We might go around the house or a store or a shopping mall calling out their name. We might text or call them until we get a response. The longer they’re missing, the more anxious we feel. What relief when we finally find them!

We can only imagine what Mary Magdalene might have felt—her anxiety as well as her relief—when she encountered Jesus after his resurrection. She might have felt like the bride in today’s reading (Song of Songs 3:1-4) from the Song of Songs, who couldn’t sleep but instead “sought him whom my heart loves” (3:1). Just as the bride who finally found her bridegroom, Mary Magdalene found her divine Bridegroom, Jesus, at the end of her persistent seeking.

Of course, as a disciple, you’ve already “found” Jesus. Yet we all have times when God seems hidden from us—or times when it’s hard to recognize him in our everyday comings and goings. That’s when it’s helpful to follow Mary Magdalene’s lead. She shows us that seeking the Lord is an active endeavor. When we feel far from God, the last thing we should do is just resign ourselves to doing without him. Jesus wants to be found!

So how do you seek the Lord when he seems distant? Mainly by praying persistently. Pray as soon as you wake up each morning. Send up short prayers as you do your work during the day. Carve out some extra time to get to daily Mass. Meditate on Jesus in the Scriptures. Just as Mary Magdalene did, keep searching until you find him again.

And like Mary Magdalene, you will find him. Of course, you won’t see him face-to-face as she did, but you will become more aware of his presence or his peace in other ways. You’ll experience a deepened appreciation of his love for you and a greater confidence in his mercy and grace.

On Mary Magdalene’s feast day, let her example encourage you. As she herself would tell you, those who seek the Lord find him.

“Jesus, help me to seek you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9
John 20:1-2, 11-18
Song of Songs 3:1-4

WORD AMONG US