Homily for Wednesday September 16th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II
Theme: CHANGE AIN’T IMPOSSIBLE AFTER ALL!
By: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
Homily for Wednesday July 21 2020
FEAST OF ST MARY MAGDALENE
READINGS: SONGS OF SOLOMON 3:1-4, PSALM 63, JOHN 20:1-2;11-18
•Symbol of true conversion and change
•Symbol of true charity
•Symbol of undying love
•Mary Magdalene, my patroness
We celebrate today a woman who yesterday was like me, sinful and sorrowful; but today has BECOME SAINTLY AND GLORIOUS. I celebrate joyfully because my HOPE IS REAWAKENED. I celebrate a sinner turned saint. I celebrate as Fr. Stanley Joseph KREMPA calls her, the PATRON SAINT OF SINNERS; I celebrate with utmost joy because, Mary reminds me of Jesus’ limitless forgiveness, his pity and compassion. I am happy today because I am assured that Jesus will deliver me from the pangs of sin and the grasp of the devil. HE WOULDN’T LET ME PERISH NEITHER TO SIN NOR TO THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS.
I celebrate this woman because consequent upon her deliverance and conversion, she alongside Joanna, wife of Chuza, Susanna, and many others provided for Jesus and his apostles out of their resources (Lk. 8:2-3). SHE WAS AN ADVOCATE OF CHARITY, CHARITY TO GOD AND MAN. Mary has thus become my challenge and mentor as regards generosity to man and to God’s chosen.
Moreover, I am challenged as I celebrate this apostle of Christ who had an undying love for Jesus: love to the very end! She accompanied Jesus not only on the streets of Palestine, marveling at his miracles and relishing his wonderful deeds; but alongside Mary, Jesus’ mother, her sister, and Mary, Clopas’ wife; she followed her master to Calvary where her heart bore the sorrow of his shameful and painful execution (Jn.19:25). In fact, she went to the grave with the other Mary (Mat. 27:61). I am just wondering how much our love for Jesus is…
I am sure Mary did not sleep from Good Friday afternoon to Holy Saturday Night. I am sure she went to the tomb of Christ every now and then to check on her Lord in the closed tomb until that faithful morning when she met the empty tomb. I can imagine her painful sorrow when she stood outside the tomb weeping even when Jesus’ apostles had gone away (Jn. 20:10-11). What a great show of love! Of course Jesus came to her and made her the first witness to the blessed news of the Resurrection. She sought but did not find Jesus but persevering, she found him in the garden. She teaches all of us today to have holy desires, desires that grow through delays, desires informed by love that increase as we patiently wait for God’s blessings.
No JUDGING! No CONDEMNING!! for the sinner today could be a saint tomorrow given God’s merciful and forgiving nature! May this feast challenge us to make a PARADIGM SHIFT from sin to sainthood, from selfishness to generosity; from being inclined to evil to being heavenly minded; from passive Christianity to an active one, from hate to love and may it draw us closer to Christ so he could change our lives for good (eternally). Amen.
LIKE MARY; FEED SOMEONE TODAY…