Easter Sunday

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040515.cfm

​Mary Magdalene is, along with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, one of the most famous women mentioned in the Bible.  All four Gospel writers place her at the tomb on Easter morning.  Three of the Gospels mention a few other women who were with her, but all four agree that she was there at the tomb on that glorious morning and that she ran to tell the Apostles that He had risen.  That is why many refer to her as the Apostle to the Apostles.

​There are not many solid facts known about Mary Magdalene.  It seems that she was from the town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee.  She was a part of a group of women who traveled with Jesus and the disciples and ministered to them.  She is also described as having been oppressed by seven demons that were cased out by Jesus.  A long standing tradition identifies her as being the woman caught in adultery, or the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, or even Mary of Bethany who was the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Some even suggest that she is all of them.  This tradition suggests that she lived a very sinful lifestyle until she meets Jesus and has a radical conversion.  Now, it is not impossible that this tradition could be true, but there is no Biblical evidence that is either.  So, the back ground and history of Mary Magdalene remains a mystery.  What we do know, is that she was a devoted follower of Jesus.  She was the first eyewitness to the Resurrection and was the first to go and share the Good News with others.  

​Mary is a great example of how sometimes we really only need one person to get a large group of people to follow.  Sometimes we just need one who is willing to share what they know or to share a testimony from their life or to encourage others to follow their example.  The Gospels relate how Mary Magdalene told Peter and the other Apostles that Jesus had resin from the dead.  Now, in some accounts, the Apostles are a bit incredulous and are not willing to believe her at first.  Not that surprising since people don’t normally rise from the dead.  However, other accounts describe Peter running to the Tomb to see for himself.  The Gospel of John even describes Peter and John having a race of sorts to be the first one there.  Slowly but surely the rest of the disciples begin to believe and the numbers begin to climb until Pentecost when it takes off like a wildfire and people are joining the Church by the thousands.  My point is, it starts off with one.  Mary Magdalene had to be will to be the first to start spreading the news.  It all spread from there.  

​Imagine how far any one of us could help spread the message and the mission of Christ.  We all just heard the story of the Resurrection.  We know the story.  Now the question is who can we spread the message to?  Imagine for a moment those in your life who you could reach out to.  Maybe it’s a family member who used to come to Church but no longer does.  Maybe it’s a co-worker who seems to be missing something in his or her life.  Maybe it’s a friend at school or at another activity that you’re involved in who shares some of your interests.  I’m not saying that we all have to find a person and start preaching to them about how Jesus rose this day.  I’m sure they have heard the Resurrection story at some point before.  I’m not saying that we have to get down on them about going to Church or changing a sinful lifestyle that they may be involved in.  Just share something from your faith: perhaps a meaningful word or phrase that you heard at Mass or in Scripture; a thought that came to you in prayer one day.  It might even be that you simply invite them to come to Mass with some Sunday or a weekday.

​Easter is a time for families to come together to celebrate this holiday.  Part of that celebration is that whole families often come together to Church.  It is no secret that some of those family members only make it on Easter or perhaps Christmas.  Some of you might be in that same boat.  It may very well be that the reason you are here is because someone in your family invited you to come.  Many times it just takes one member of the family to say, “Come on!  Let’s go to Mass!” or “Come with us!”  They may accept the invitation or they might not.  That’s okay.  We have to start with the invitation.  It just takes one to become the Mary Magdalene of the family.  

​Do not be afraid to share your faith and invite others in.  We are all called to be like Mary Magdalene, to let others know that Christ has truly risen indeed!