9 Mary Magdalene: "I have seen the Lord"

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!

May we wash the feet of Jesus with our tears of gratitude and most precious gifts.

Novena reflection day 9: Mary recognizes Jesus

John 20:17-18 "Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" and she told them that he had said these things to her."

I am impressed with how long it took Mary Magdalene to recognize Jesus. It is all about intention in this reading. Mary Magdalene had the intention to find Jesus dead, she had the intention to be sad, she had the intention to be in a state of angry grief and because of her intention she couldn't see the truth right infront of her. Her internal intention blocked her from recognizing angels. Her intention blocked her from recognizing even Christ. I ask myself, how many times my intention isn't in the present moment and blocks the reality of things? How many times has God tried to unveil a gift to me but my head is so wrapped up in la-la land that I allow my intentions to block seeing what He is giving or speaking to me in that moment? It is easier to check out mentally and grip onto what we want something to be, even if it is negative, than accept the grace of the truth in that moment: God is with us and for us and loves us. He just wants us to see Him and trust that He's got this.

We might prefer to see the death of things rather than the life as it is. Mary Magdalene saw a gardener and not Jesus. She was looking for Jesus dead and couldn't accept anything other than that. What are we afraid of? What is the thing that makes us anxious to the point where we rely on that absurd idea that anxiety and angry grief will help us feel more in control of the uncontrolable? The gardener that steals isn't who Jesus is, as Mary Magdalene thought. The theft is often one we make ourselves by fooling ourselves into thinking things are taken from us: control, time, resources, political waves, injustice, health, etc etc. But the truth is that there is no stealing gardener, there is Jesus offering us something no one can: total trust in Him managing each and every outcome we entrust to His care. There isn't a tree that grows, a branch that stretches out or a root that goes deeply into the ground that He hasn't willed. How much more does He care for us? Yes he wants us to respond, live striving hard for holiness with determination and practicing virtues. He doesn't want us to just sit on a hammock waiting for things to happen on their own, that is our part in the dance of faith. But that action needs to be taken with prayer and trust in Him.

For this last day, I want to pray for the dying and their caretakers. For all of those dying who will be facing eternity and are in the most delicate stages of the end of their life. Whatever they did in this life is now nearly done. I pray especially for my Aunt Blanca, in that stage of slow dancing with death in the ICU with COVID, for our merciful and loving Lord to give her peace in this incredibly heartbreaking and painful moment of her life. I pray that her nurses show her dignity and tenderness and that they see a beautiful daughter of Christ.

Day Nine: "I have seen the Lord"

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St Mary Magdalene, intercede for us.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy,

Lord have mercy,

Christ hear us,

Christ graciously hear us,.

God the Father of heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the World,

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity one God,

Have mercy on us.

St. Mary of Magdalene. Tonight I ask for the intercession of all people who are facing death. Please let our merciful Father in His goodness cover them with divine mercy. For those who will die tonight, I pray for His ocean of mercy to shine on them and give them peace in their final moments. I pray for exhausted hospital workers and doctors for them to not have any inner emotions that block them from seeing dying patients who might actually have a chance at life. I pray especially for my Tia Blanca, for angels to stay by her bedside, for Mother Mary to cover her with her mantle, for Jesus of Divine Mercy to shine His blood and water as an ocean of mercy on to my aunt. I pray for her room to be illuminated with the light of Saints and angels. I pray for Padre Pio, and Father Tommy Wells to intercede for her and fight for her soul. I pray for all the nurses to be covered and protected by their guardian angels from any darkness or depression they might receive in the despair of treating dying ICU patients. Mary Magdalene, intercede.

Padre Pio, intercede in prayer

Father Tommy, pray for my aunt

Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art though among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever.

All glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be a world without end. Amen.