Clinging to Jesus

In this weeks newsletter; Chris Doig writes about his recent ordinaton and in honour of Chris we go a bit Carmelite. This week's reflection is on St Mary Magdalene. Welcome!

St Mary Magdalene is a well-known figure whose history and identity has been debated for centuries, and depicted in paintings and films. In 2016 Pope Francis elevated her solemnity to a Feast day. This reflection will not look into the debate surrounding her life but please have a look here in this summary from Catholic Culture.

What I want to focus on is the moment caught in John 20: 1 -18. It was still dark and Mary Magdalene was at the tomb, finding it open and empty, she runs back to the Apostles and brings them to it. Peter and John have a look and is recorded that John believes. They then head back to the place they are staying. Mary stays, and that is when the two angels choose to appear. This is setting Mary up for her role as first Evangelist of the resurrected Jesus and Apostle to the Apostles.  But at this stage, she is weeping and wondering where Jesus is which is when the Angels ask her, why is she weeping? She replies:

‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

Can you hear her love? They have taken my Lord. When in our own lives, private or public do we say of Jesus – Mine?

Then, behind her, someone who she initially thinks is the gardener, appears and asks the same question as the Angels; ‘why are you weeping?’ Why does the Angels and then Jesus keep asking this question? It would be rather normal for someone to be weeping at this moment, would it not? I think we get the answer to that at the end of their dialogue, but keep this question in mind. Back to the story - she responds:

‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’

Again, do you hear her heart? Her love drives her to take responsibility and the initiative. You get the impression (or at least I do) that she would have walked over hot coals to get Him. Have we that same desire? Have we wholly given over our life, just as it appears Mary has, to Jesus?

Then Jesus reveals Himself – Mary! She cries out Rabboni and then from what Jesus says we get this picture of Mary clinging onto Jesus. You can imagine her tears of joy. But he then says what appears to be very cold and I think the answer to the question as to why she kept getting asked why she was weeping:  

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, to my God and your God.’

St Augustine writes in his commentary explaining this passage:

Believe not thus on me according to your present notions; let not your thoughts stretch outwards to what I have been made in your behalf, without passing beyond to that whereby you have yourself been made. For how could it be otherwise than carnally that she still believed on Him whom she was weeping over as a man? For I am not yet ascended, He says, to my Father: there shall you touch me, when you believe me to be God, in no wise unequal with the Father.

Jesus was giving Mary a lesson in faith. He was not to be as before and in fact was underscoring his divinity. He did not want her to cling on to Him as a Man anymore, but as God and could only be truly clung onto when He was with the Father.

How do we cling onto Him now? We have the wonderful Eucharist; we have the Holy Spirit within whom the depths of God Himself He only knows. We are in Christ, and as He went to the Father, we have been taken up with Him. It is still a great mystery but let Mary Magdalene teach you about loving our Lord, making Him yours. Devote yourself to His body and blood in the Mass, adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray to Mary and ask her to intercede for you. Her life was radically changed upon meeting Jesus – let us let Christ do the same for us!

The newly ordained Reverend Chris Doig: Chris writes about his recent ordination and included a couple of pictures for those who could not be there.

St Martha: The Feast day of St Martha will be upon on us soon, so here is a short article on St Martha from Crossroad Initatives.

Blessed Titus Brandsma: A Carmelite Priest and victim of Dachau. Blessed Titus Brandsma’s memorial is on Monday so I thought I’d highlight him for reflection.

Challenged by Elijah: It was the Feast of the Prophet Elijah Father of Carmelites a few days ago. Here Fr Nicholas Blackwell (aka the Frank Friar and speaker at the RCDA online Men’s conference) speaks on the challenge that this Prophet brings to us. Recorded on Youtube, fast forward the video to 2:12 for the homily.

Marriage and Godliness: In a talk given by Kimberley Hahn at a conference last year, she describes how one can grow in godliness through marriage.

And Finally: A rather beautiful rendition of Flos Carmeli…

Blessed Titus Brandsma

“Stay with me, Jesus, my delight, your presence near makes all things right.”

Regards Eric and the Team.