The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-17
Mary Magdalene.

The record of this illustrious penitent an,
saint is sublime and interesting that "
have long felt tempted to unfold it's wonder
full beauty, like that of picture before th,
minds of our intelligent readers AS the spe
4 cial devotion to this holy woman is almost en-
tirely confined to France, it is not strange that
we, Americans, seldom pause to mediate upon
s the mystery and grace of life that, next to
that of the sinless Virgin, is most edifyiug
and consoling to all Christians. Mary, Martha
and Lazarus were all of one family. Their
4 history is simply told in these words:
"Now certain man was sick, named Laza.
! rus, Of Bethany, the town of Mary and Martha.
1t was that Mary which Amounted the Lord
With ointment, and wiped his feet with her
hair, whose brother Laza1u was dead" John
! xi)
The deep interest felt in this family by our
Divine Saviour after Mary's conversion is also
touchingly related by the inspired penmsn
"Jesus loved Martha, and her sister and La
szarus." (John xi). And now that the family
relations of Mary Magdalene are made suff.
GENTLY clear to our reader, we will return to
that moment in her life which changed her
from great sinner to great saint and as
j we near this part of our description, we feel
that agitation which an artist must experience
who fears that his most skillful touches can
never bestow the grace and sweetness upon
his subject which his heart feels to be its due
~ truly needs a greater eloquence than ours
70 do justice to the sublime task we have as
eumed but the picture in itself alone is so
Exquisite that if we but present it to view, we
feel it cannot fail to command loving admit
PATTON from all who gaze upon it. 1t was in
Pie house of Simon, the Pharisee, who had
Invited our Lord to a banquet, that the poor
lnner, the woman known to all the town for
Ter frailties, came, unexpected and unlimited,
marrying box of sweet ointment. There,
smelling behind the Saviour, she began to
weep such floods of tears that in order to re-
hove their traces, she took her hair as a nap |
bin and wiped His sacred feet, all washed with
she water of her grief. Then, folding them
10 her heart, she kisses them, anoints them
fith the precious balsam, and remains en-
Y rouded in her silence and her shame. st.
sdagdalene's conduct at her Lords feet That |
10 one, up to this moment, had asked of the
iaviour any other than temporal favor, such
+ health of body or cure of disease, that
fary Magdalene, while seeking alone for the
foAuou VI h0E cIlmesJ WAS illus inc urSC TO &C
knowledge the divinity of Christ, since God
lone can forgive sins.
She spoke no word-confessed no fault, laid
Rre no secret wounds but recognizing Christ
God, she felt that He knew all her past mis-
beds, saw all her present sorrow, and there
re she waited at His feet for that which He
one could give. But while the humble Sin
r testified by her lowly plight that Jesus
as the Messiah, the proud Pharisee doubted
even He were prophet, saying within him.
If, This man, if he were n prophet, would
bow surely what kind of woman this is that
sucheth him. for she is a sinner"
Yet, as we continue to read the words Of ST
PIKE we learn that our Blessed Lord knew
t only the heart of the weeping woman, but
20 that of the proud Pharisee. Turning to q
Q last, he said :" Simon, a certain creditor :
d two debtors, the one owed FIVE hundred ?
4nce, the other fifty. And whereas they bad q
Pt wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. '
hich, therefore, of the two loved him most 7" +
Simon answering said: "He to whom he f
rgave most" Then pointing to the silent b
oman on the aoor, the Saviour praised her C
r the homage she had paid Him, for the tears t
18th which she had washed His feet, for the r
ntment with which she bad perfumed them; v
d applying the parable to the debtor now
lore Him, He said: Many sins are forgiven c
=, because she has loved much" Then, with f
i ees and gTaeiGhs condesoension, he answers K
her ulspokeu supplicatioas by the worda: {,
egse Toy sinb are forgiven thee.p q