Today the Church remembers and honors St. Mary Magdalene. She was present at the foot of the cross. She was the first witness to the Risen Christ and announced His Resurrection to the Apostles. Mary Magdalene is referred to in early Christian writings as “the apostle to the Apostles.”
She has for centuries been portrayed as a prostitute; however, that was because Gregory the Great conflated 3 different women in the Gospels. As a follower of Jesus, Mary Magdalene was one of many women that accompanied Jesus during his travels, many of whom are believed to have been wealthy. The Gospels note that Jesus was visited by two women, the unnamed sinner in Luke 7 and Mary of Bethany, both of whom anoint his feet and dry them with their hair, similar to the way Mary Magdalene anointed him shortly after his death. In 591, Pope Gregory the Great stated that all three were in fact one woman, Mary Magdalene, and this is how she became labeled as a prostitute, or the unnamed sinner.
Mary Magdalene is an example for the modern Church. The assembled Gospel references describe Mary Magdalene as a courageous servant leader, brave enough to stand by Jesus in his hours of suffering, death and beyond. She is the only person to be listed in all four Gospels as first to realize that Jesus had risen and to testify to that central teaching of faith.
Let us pray: Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed of all our infirmities and know you in the power of his endless life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Saturday, 23 July at 10:00 a.m.: Birdhouse building with Lee Runion. Please contact Lee if you would like to participate.
St. Augustine’s Feast Day is around the corner. We will have a sign-up sheet for our pot luck dinner. Please be thinking about what you will bring to share with everyone.
She has for centuries been portrayed as a prostitute; however, that was because Gregory the Great conflated 3 different women in the Gospels. As a follower of Jesus, Mary Magdalene was one of many women that accompanied Jesus during his travels, many of whom are believed to have been wealthy. The Gospels note that Jesus was visited by two women, the unnamed sinner in Luke 7 and Mary of Bethany, both of whom anoint his feet and dry them with their hair, similar to the way Mary Magdalene anointed him shortly after his death. In 591, Pope Gregory the Great stated that all three were in fact one woman, Mary Magdalene, and this is how she became labeled as a prostitute, or the unnamed sinner.
Mary Magdalene is an example for the modern Church. The assembled Gospel references describe Mary Magdalene as a courageous servant leader, brave enough to stand by Jesus in his hours of suffering, death and beyond. She is the only person to be listed in all four Gospels as first to realize that Jesus had risen and to testify to that central teaching of faith.
Let us pray: Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed of all our infirmities and know you in the power of his endless life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Saturday, 23 July at 10:00 a.m.: Birdhouse building with Lee Runion. Please contact Lee if you would like to participate.
St. Augustine’s Feast Day is around the corner. We will have a sign-up sheet for our pot luck dinner. Please be thinking about what you will bring to share with everyone.
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially the Rev. Tom Bain.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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