On the feast of Mary Magdalene! (22nd July)

God chose Israel not because they were faithful, sincere, God-fearing, intelligent, powerful or wealthy nation rather Israel was the weakest and smallest people at that time of history. God’s revelation and the economy of salvation are revealed to the weakest and smallest of people throughout history.

One of the powerful prayers of Jesus other than the Lord’s prayer in the gospels is the prayer for the Apostles – I thank you father for hiding these things from the learned and wise and revealing them to little children.. (Matthew 11:25). Towards the end of the prayer Jesus concludes – No one knows the father except the son and here comes the powerful promise: and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. That’s what exactly we found in today’s gospel – Jesus choosing to reveal himself to Mary Magdalene.

What is more interesting is to find the compromising similarities between the confession of Peter and the confession of Mary Magdalene. Peter differs in opinion from the people, proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Jesus says, “Simon! Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father in heaven.” In the confession of Mary – her witnessing to the revelation of Jesus as Rabbouni would attract the same validation from Jesus – “Mary of Magdala, flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father in heaven.” In other words, Jesus chose to reveal himself to Mary.

Jesus’ relationship with Mary is so powerful that they not only share the same place of Galilee, they also share the same missionary spirit. Jesus’ relationship with Mary is so central to the apostles, church and to the Kingdom of God because she stood fearless when all ran away; she took part in the agony of Jesus and also took part in the agony of Mary the Mother of Jesus. She stood to the ground till the end! She stood strong in her faith! How strong is our faith? Can we witness our faith till the end?