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Apostle to the Apostles

Apostle to the Apostles

In 2016, Pope Francis raised the celebration of Mary Magdalene from Memorial to Feast in the liturgical calendar.  Her Feast Day is 22nd July.  There is also a special preface to the Eucharistic Prayer included for this Feast Day Mass which is entitled “Apostle to the Apostles,” which is the honorary title bestowed upon Mary Magdalene.

“Recalling that “apostle” means “sent,” one can easily see not only the aptness but the beauty of this title: all four Gospels record that Mary Magdalene was at the tomb that first Easter Sunday morning, and that she was sent to share the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection to the eleven remaining Apostles, who had locked themselves in the upper room. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John may not have concurred with one another on every detail in their accounts of Jesus’ life, but they were unanimous on this. Mary Magdalene was there”.

(Carolyn Pirtle, Celebrating Mary Magdalene – Apostle to the Apostles).

With poetic elegance and simplicity, the newly-composed Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer for this Feast Day sums up this transformative episode in Mary Magdalene’s life:

He appeared in the garden
and revealed himself to Mary Magdalene,
who had loved him in life,
witnessed him dying on the Cross,
sought him as he lay in the tomb,
and was the first to adore him, newly risen from the dead.
He honoured her with the office of being an apostle to the Apostles,
so that the good news of new life
might reach the ends of the earth.

To hearts who love, witness, seek, and adore him, Christ appears and reveals himself, so that all might become apostles, sent to proclaim the Good News of new life to the ends of the earth.

Mary Magdalene’s life was transformed by the Resurrection of Christ. May we open our hearts in turn to love, witness, seek, and adore the Risen One every day of our lives.

St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles, pray for us.

See Celebrating Mary Magdalene apostle to the apostles

Note:  The inspiration and content of this post article came from an original article written in The McGrath Institute Blog on July 2020 by Carolyn Pirtle.   The McGrath Institute Blog helps Catholics live and hand on their faith in Jesus Christ, especially in the family, home and parish, and cultivates and inspires everyday leaders to live out the fullness and richness of their faith in the simple, little ways that make up Church life.

(Image of Mary Magdalene is by James Johnson).

Other links:

The Apostle Mary Magdalene

Spiritual Inspiration: Mary of Magdala

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