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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Monday, Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, 22 July 2024
Song of Songs 3:1-4 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> John 20:1-2, 11-18
We rejoice today, Lord Jesus, for this most wondrous Feast of your friend St. Mary Magdalene: in her we find hope and joy that like her, we who are sinners are assured of a grace-filled future, of a trustworthy friend in You, and abounding love and mercy also in You.
We are, dear Jesus, the modern Mary Magdalene: sinful and worldly, perhaps so vain with our outside appearance and bearing in public, sometimes on the brink of giving up in life because nobody seem to care at all for us; many times like Mary Magdalene, we walk alone in darkness searching for You, Lord Jesus; many times we wonder too how we could move the huge and heavy stone of past sins, weaknesses and failures, addictions and vices that cover us and prevent us from moving forward, finding You; many times, O Lord, we mistake You for somebody else like Mary Magdalene when she mistook You to be the gardener at the tomb because we are so preoccupied of many things in life. But, You assure us today on this Feast of St. Mary Magdalene our fears and assumptions are not true at all; help us to stop clinging to our many past for You are not there, Jesus; You are always in the here and now, in the present moment, personally calling us in our name like Mary!
The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves – I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek him whom my heart loves. I sought him but I did not find him. The watchmen came upon me as they made their rounds of the city. Have you seen him whom my heart loves? I have hardly left them when I found him whom my heart loves (Song of Songs 3:1-4).
Like that lover, the Bride in the first reading, we are Mary Magdalene in search of love and meaning in this world; in search of You, Jesus, our Lord and Savior; so often, we seek You in this world, in its loud noise of too much self bragging as well as in the midst of the world's riches and powers; the more we seek You, the more elusive You have become until You came when like Mary Magdalene we have believed in You, we have listened to You. we have become silent and attentive to You, Lord Jesus; thank You for coming, thank You for finding me, thank You for calling me like Mary to proclaim You are risen to others who believe in You, searching You, waiting for You. Amen.
