July 22, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
From left: The Crucifixion, Raphael; The burial of Jesus, Caracci; the penitent with the perfume jar; two Greek icons; Mary Magdalene, El Greco; a detail of the Magdalene at the foot of the Cross; Noli me tangere, Fra Angelico.
ST. MARY MAGDALENE, Penitent
Long before Dan Brown decided to exploit her figure, Mary of Magdala was a subject of great fascination in literature and art, much of it inspired by apocryphal gnostic gospels. The Bible unequivocally identifies her presence at the three great events in the final days of Christ on earth: the Crucifixion; the burial; and the Resurrection, of which she was the first human to learn the news. She is described as one of the women disciples who followed Jesus and the Twelve in their travels just before the Passion, "assisting them out of their means". Earlier, she is referred to as the woman from whom Jesus had cast out 'seven demons'. However, Bible readers have also identified her with the prostitute who, repenting her ways, threw herself at the feet of Jesus and anointed his feet with a jar of expensive perfume. She is also often confused with Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She is not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, but according to tradition, she ended up in Ephesus, where John the Beloved had gone with the Blessed Mother, and that she died there. A French legend has it that she, along with Mary Cleophas and Mary Salome, travelled with their uncle Joseph of Arimathea after the Resurrection to flee anti-Christian persecution and landed on the southern coast of France near Marseilles. More unlikely legends sprung out of that, including that purveyed by Dan Brown's book. The Orthodox have always venerated her as 'the myrrh-bearer' and 'equal to the Apostles'. though none of the myriad legends associate her with any apostolic work.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072212.cfm
FROM THE APOSTOLIC PALACE TODAY
Sunday Angelus - The Holy Father reflected on today's Gospel depicting Jesus as the Shepherd for
the lost sheep of Israel, and went on to reflect on Mary Magdalene, whose feast day is today, as one of those
lost sheep who was saved by Jesus from total subordination to the devil. He said evil always seeks to
ruin the work of God, sowing division and conflict among men, to which 'Christ our peace' is the only
answer. He expressed his condolences and prayers for the victims and families of the midnight movie massacre
in Aurora, Colorado, early Saturday morning, in which at least 12 persons were killed, and a ferry accident
in Zanzibar in which 68 died. He also expressed his best wishes for the Summer Olympics which open in London
on July 27, saying he hoped the two-week Games would also mark a truce in current fighting in many places.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 22/07/2012 15:51]