Homily: July 22, 2024, Feast of Mary Magdalene (Love)

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 "Have you seen him whom my heart loves?"

When we are in love with someone, we want to see them as often as possible, for as long as possible, and to keep the separation as short as possible, right?

How we love, is but a glimpse of how God loves.

And this is how God loves us: passionately, faithfully, eternally. Today's first reading is taken from the Song of Songs, which is a collection of poems expressing the immense, deep love of God for His people Israel. God loves His people so much that He seeks them out when they are lost from His sight, distant from His care, gone from His zone. He detests the separation from His beloved people.

This reading is also most appropriate for today’s feast of Mary Magdalene. She was a woman tortured by demonic disturbances before she met Jesus, who then freed her, forgave her and healed her with God’s immense love. Because she was forgiven much, thus she was able to love as much. Mary Magdalene loved Jesus truly and totally.

She loved Him so much that she was there with Him throughout His suffering and dying. She stayed with Him till His last breath, till He was buried. And at the first opportunity when the Law allowed it, she went to the tomb to see Her master again. Imagine the pain and sorrow she felt when she found the tomb empty. She felt the same intense yearning which God feels for His people who turn away from Him.

And God goes searching for man since the exile of Adam, "Have you seen him whom my heart loves?"

Over the last few days, I was attending the National Eucharistic Conference. It was a very powerful, beautiful experience. One of the speakers, I think it was Sr. Bethany Madonna, who said something which struck me, "When you love someone, you prove it."

Mary Magdalene proved her love for Jesus by searching for her beloved master. Jesus too proved His love, by showing Himself to her, and asking to see His chosen apostles. And so, with great joy, Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord".

St. Paul asked, "What can separate us from the love of God?"

The answer is ‘sin’. Sin keeps us distant and away.

But I ask, “What can separate God from His love for His people?”

The answer is ‘nothing’, not even death. Nothing can stop God from loving us. God will seek us out from among the dead, and He will come back from the dead to keep searching. If we can’t find Him, He will find us.

May we be like Mary Magdalene, staying close to our Lord always and loving Him deeply and truly.

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us.


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