Who is Mary Magdalene?
She is the one who followed the Lord Jesus after he had cast seven demons out of her; she served him during his Passion, his crucifixion, his death and his burial.
She is the one who, with the other Mary, went early to the tomb and saw the stone rolled back and the angel sitting on it. When they were afraid, the angel said to them: “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen” (Matthew 28:1-7).
She is the one to whom the Saviour appeared and said: “Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). She went and announced the resurrection to the disciples. After the Lord’s Ascension she remained in the service of the disciples and received the gifts of the Spirit, the Comforter. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Joel: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
She preached with the disciples and brought many women to faith in Christ. According to tradition, the apostles appointed her a deaconess to teach the women and to assist at their baptism. She endured many insults and humiliations from the Jews, and she fell asleep in peace while still serving the disciples.
* Mary Magdalene is mentioned fourteen times in Holy Scripture. Eight times her name appears together with the women who served the Lord, and she is always named first among the women who followed the Lord and became his disciples. The five times she is mentioned on her own are all connected with the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord of glory (Mark 16:9; John 20:1). Once her name comes after that of the Virgin Mother of God and her sister, since it would not have been fitting to name her before them (John 19:25).
May her prayers be with us.
