Sister Winny gardening last night

 

Sister Pudentiana gardening last night

 

Dawn at the monastery sept 19 2006

 

sept 22 2006

Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Cor 15:12-20 Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead,then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ,whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,we are the most pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Ps 17:1bcd, 6-7, 8b and 15
R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;attend to my outcry;hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word.Show your wondrous mercies,O savior of those who flee from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings, But I in justice shall behold your face;on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Lk 8:1-3 Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

We are a resurrection people. Belief in the resurrection is a central part of the Christian faith and without this belief it is not the same entity or Body of Christ in Church. The promise arising again of eternal life gives fullness.

I was struck last night and this morning with readiing today's gospel of just a vision of a band of women following the Rabboni, teacher which was not the norm for the culture of the time from what I have read and been told. These women of the New Testament are not many and are not mentioned often except Mary of Magdala. Mary of Magdala is known as the apostle's aspostle.

There have been many popular books recently speculating about who she was. I see her importance in that she left behind a confused life and faithfully followed Jesus to the cross and even in his death remained a faithful follower bearing witness to his resurrection. I picture her standing at the cross with the Blessed Virgin Mary while Christ was dying. This is the faith of perservering through whatever may come and remaining steadfast. She was a truthful witness to the life of Jesus.

Some of the other speculation of who she was is reading more into what the Scriptures say in some modern books. I simply see her as a woman healed by Jesus who never forgot that and remained faithful in life and death through extraordinary circumstances. She had the courage to go to the tomb of Jesus when the other apostles were staying inside with the door locked in fear for their lives. She is a lesson to me to never forget the saving power of God and the promise of life eternal in Jesus.