St. Mary Magdalen

Feast Day — July 22

Once upon a time, Mary Magdalen was a great sinner. You see, she was very beautiful. So people paid her compliments. They ran after her and made her vain. She forgot that God gave her all her beauty. She loved rich clothes and fine jewels too much. She wanted to be popular at all costs. So she sinned. And she was very unhappy. Then one day, she saw Jesus, Our Lord. He looked at her and showed her how sorry He was about her sin. Right away, she knew how ugly sin was. She followed Jesus into the house of some rich men. Though they laughed at her, she knelt at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed them in humility, and at their touch her sins and her stain were gone.

From all eternity God foresaw and permitted the falls of Mary Magdalen, but He had His designs on her and willed to restore life to that dead soul. He decided, however, that this life would be restored to her only on the one condition that she desired it. He also decided to give her a very strong and gentle actual grace that would make her pray. This is the source of the efficacy of prayer. Because Magdalen prayed, sanctifying grace was given to her; but, certainly without prayer she would have remained in her sin. It is, therefore, as necessary to pray if we are to obtain God's assistance, which we need for the observance of the divine law and for perseverance in it, as it is necessary to sow seed if we are to reap grain.

From that time on, she loved only Our Lord. She did not sin again. On Calvary, she stayed with Him until He died. After His resurrection, He showed Himself to her. Then, when He rose into Heaven, Mary Magdalen ran off into the desert. She wanted to spend all her time thinking of Him, praying to Him, and loving Him with all of her heart.

Read more about St. Mary Magdalen and other Saints in the following books available through www.fatimashoppe.org or www.catholicbooks.org.

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