Homily for the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

In the Church's tradition, particularly in its artistic expressions, Mary Magdalene has often been portrayed as a repentant sinner. This misconception stems from her being mistakenly identified with the sinful woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. However, the Gospels provide no evidence to suggest that Mary was any more sinful than the other disciples of Jesus.

In today's Gospel passage, Mary Magdalene is recognized as the woman who, out of deep devotion, went to the tomb early on that first Sunday morning. Upon discovering that Jesus' body was missing, she stayed outside the tomb, weeping in sorrow. 

Mary Magdalene was searching for the Lord but could not find Him. In her grief, however, the Lord sought her out and revealed Himself to her by calling her name. Just as she sought the Lord, we too search for Him, and similarly, He seeks us out and finds us. It is God's pursuit of us that comes before our own search for Him. Even when we struggle to find the Lord, as Mary did, we can trust that He will always reach out to us and call us by name. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us and now calls us individually. 

When the Lord calls us by name, He also sends us out, just as He did with Mary Magdalene, to share the Good News of His Resurrection with those we encounter. He not only calls us by name but also appoints us as His messengers to others.