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Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Reading 1 : Song of Songs 3:1-4b

The Bride says:
On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–
I sought him but I did not find him.
I will rise then and go about the city;
in the streets and crossings I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.
I sought him but I did not find him.
The watchmen came upon me,
as they made their rounds of the city:
Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
I had hardly left them
when I found him whom my heart loves

OR : 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

R. (2) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Alleluia :

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way?
I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 20:1-2, 11-18

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
“Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'”
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he told her.

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a beautiful and intimate truth:

Those who seek the Lord with love will find Him—and He will call them by name.

• The bride’s longing mirrors the soul’s search for God.
• The psalm expresses a thirst only God can satisfy.
• Mary Magdalene’s encounter shows that Jesus reveals Himself personally, tenderly, and powerfully.

The message is clear: Love leads to encounter. Encounter leads to mission.

Reflection for the Day

Mary Magdalene stands as one of the most moving figures in the Gospel. She loved Jesus deeply—enough to stand at the foot of the Cross, enough to return to the tomb early in the morning, enough to weep when she thought He was gone.
Her love made her seek. Her seeking led her to stay. Her staying allowed her to encounter the risen Lord.
The moment is breathtaking:
She mistakes Him for the gardener. She is overwhelmed with grief. She cannot see clearly through her tears.
But everything changes when Jesus speaks one word:
“Mary.”
Her name. Her identity. Her story. Her heart.
In that moment, she recognizes Him—not through sight, but through love.
This is how God meets us: Not with thunder, but with tenderness. Not with spectacle, but with personal love. Not with distance, but with a voice that calls us by name.
The first reading from the Song of Songs captures this longing beautifully. The bride searches for her beloved in the night. She refuses to give up. And when she finds him, she clings to him with joy.
Mary Magdalene lived this poem. She searched. She found. She held on.
The psalm echoes the same desire: “My soul thirsts for You… Your love is better than life.”
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Seek Jesus with love.
   Even in confusion, silence, or sorrow—keep searching.
2. Listen for His voice.
   He calls you personally, tenderly, by name.
3. Share the encounter.
   Like Mary, become a witness of hope and resurrection.
   Let today be a day of love, encounter, and renewed mission.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, like Mary Magdalene, I seek You with a longing heart.
Call me by name, speak to my soul, and reveal Your living presence.
Fill me with the joy of Your Resurrection and send me forth to share Your hope with the world.
May my love for You grow deeper, my faith stronger, and my witness bolder.
Amen.