CHAPTER IV Of the great merits, and privileges of grace, of blessed Mary Magdalene
CHAPTER IV
Of the great merits, and privileges of grace, of blessed Mary Magdalene
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, heavenly Physician, Who for the Salvation of our souls, didst come into this world to redeem sinners, and to draw them with the cords of Thy love, by the path of repentance, to Thy heavenly Kingdom. Thou Who didst vouchsafe to be born of Mary, the Virgin, didst think no scorn of being touched, of being washed, of being wiped, of being anointed, and of being kissed by Mary, a sinner, when she wept and repented. O loving Jesus, Son of the living God, merciful Saviour of mankind, Thou didst in this life mercifully bestow great privileges of grace upon most blessed Mary Magdalene: when she had turned her back upon the vain things of the world, and had been converted to Thee, Thou didst graciously accept her penitence; Thou didst fully pardon all her sins; and while she bewailed them with tears, Thou didst freely remit their punishment. Thou didst breathe into her heart that great contrition which she felt; Thou didst save her from losing hope of forgiveness by filling her sorrowing heart with the comfort of Thy grace. Thou didst set her soul on fire with Thy Holy Spirit, and didst inwardly refresh it with the sweetness of Thy love. Thou didst bid her go in peace in full trust in Thy mercy; Thou didst warn her against going back to her former way of life, and didst bid her be steadfast in all manner of holy conversation, and in fervent prayer. Not one harsh word didst Thou ever speak to her, never didst Thou taunt her with her sin, never didst Thou tell any one what she had done; nay, rather Thou didst make excuses for her, and didst put forward her good deeds as an example of holy life. When Thou wast the guest of Simon the leper, Thou didst take more pleasure in Mary’s tears than in all the dainty food set before Thee by the Pharisee. Thou didst not shrink from her touch; nor didst Thou spurn her when she anointed Thee. Thou didst put forward Thy Feet, and didst bow down Thy Head for her; Thou didst not disdain her kisses. With Thy Lips Thou didst bless her, with Thy Hand Thou didst sanctify her; by Thy touch Thou didst cleanse her, by a few short words Thou didst make her whole, saying to her: “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” O what sweet words are these! They come from the mouth of God; they are full of grace and mercy; they are ever to be gratefully remembered.
Thou didst accept the hospitality of Mary and Martha as that of friends dear to Thee; Thou didst lodge and take Thy rest in their house, and they ever made Thee welcome. There didst Thou eat and drink whatever was set before Thee and Thy disciples, though it was only such as was fit for poor and needy men who had but little money in their common purse: in that house there was no disorder, no noise, no silly jesting, no loud laughter, no unprofitable talk to be heard. Humble as Thou hadst made Thyself, yet as Master, in demeanour sober and decorous, Thou didst preside at table; having made Thyself poor, Thou didst share the meals of poor folk: Thou wast their Refection-Reader and Theologian; and instead of wine Thou didst set before the friends who were so dear to Thee the words of Eternal Life. Martha, busy as she was with household affairs, Thou didst discreetly instruct; and for Mary who took less part in such things, but sat peacefully at Thy Feet, drinking in the words which fell from Thy Lips, Thou didst make loving excuse. When her sister complained of being left alone to serve, Thou didst praise Mary’s higher life of contemplation: and when the traitor Judas found fault about the ointment which she had poured out upon Thee, Thou didst declare her free from blame. She modestly held her peace; but Thou at once madest answer on her behalf, reciting her good deed, and being silent as to what she had done wrong. When Mary wept over her brother Lazarus lying dead in his tomb, Thou didst weep with her, and Thou didst so join his friends in their grief that many of them said: “Behold how He loved him!” Of what good report must that Lazarus have been, and how pure must have been his life, for Jesus to have loved him when he was alive, to have raised him when he was dead, to have supped with him after he was restored to life!
O loving Jesus, Who art both the Author and the Rewarder of every good deed, Thou didst not forget the faithful service so often done to Thee in the house of Mary and Martha; small kindnesses Thou didst repay by great; for good deeds done to Thee in the body Thou didst return spiritual blessings; things earthly Thou didst reward with things eternal. What shall I say more? Words cannot express, the mind cannot realize, all Thy good gifts to men, all the miracles and signs wrought by Thee in Galilee, in Nazareth, in Bethany, in Jerusalem, in Judaea, and throughout the Holy Land, before the eyes of Thy disciples and of all men, in witness of the truth; that so by reason of all Thy divine and wondrous words and deeds they might believe that Thou art indeed the Christ, the Son of God, Who camest into the world to be the Saviour of mankind. How highly exalted in Heaven art Thou, Who upon earth wert so lowly! How humble and how loving wert Thou amongst men when Thou didst heal them: how stern, and how terrible wert Thou to the demons when Thou didst cast them out! How full of mercy wert Thou to the penitent, how strict wert Thou with evil-doers, how compassionate wert Thou to the afflicted, how kind to those in want, how consoling to those who were in grief! Where among men can be found a friend so faithful, where so powerful a helper in every time of need as Thou, our God? How great was the joy which Thou didst give to those sisters when Thou criedst with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come forth!” And presently he that had been dead came forth, obedient to the word spoken by Thee, the Lord of life and death. And then Thou saidst to Thy disciples, as having in Thy stead the cure of souls: “Loose him and let him go.”
O my Lord, vouchsafe, I pray Thee, to loose me also from the chains of all my sins, that so I may meet death without fear, may come to Thee with joy, may join the holy Angels and Mary and Martha in praising Thee for ever, and may never more fall into sin. Amen.