These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her. (John 20:1-2, 11-18)
For many people, the first time they ever gave a thought to Mary Magdalene is because of the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. But Mary Magdalene is finally coming into her own. Pope Francis raised her memorial to the rank of feast, the same rank as the apostles, for as the early church always said of Mary Magdalene, “she is the apostle to the apostles.”
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven. (Psalm 78)
To eat the bread of angels, that is our calling. As Jesus said, “It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” And when the disciples said, “Lord, give us this bread always,” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (Jn 6:32-35)
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. (Exodus 14:21-15:1)
One of the most thrilling songs (psalms) in the Scriptures, especially in the context of the Easter Vigil. “¡Carroza y caballo arrojó al mar!” (Horse and chariot he has cast into the sea!)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers.” (Exodus 14:5-18)
The chase is on. And though it might not have occurred exactly as Cecil B. DeMille envisioned it, It can only end with glory for the Lord.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. (Mk 6:30-34)
Again the image of the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd, moved with compassion for us, who teaches us the mysteries of the Kingdom.
