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

he was sent by the Father; but when, turn Il
Ills eyes earthwards, He looks upon the darl
still cave where the dead lay. half corrupted
then the Divinity asserts ITSELF and in voic
: that even Nature must obey, He bids Lii
zarus come forth!'
J One should read the Gospel narrative t
taste all the sweetness, to see all the mercy
to feel all the glory ef this manifestation @
the God man, this revelation of the Divin
and human nature. One may think, Will
rendIng these pages, that there is but Sigh
connection between Magdalene and this mira
Gle; but moments reflection will show hor
closely and beautifully are linked togcthe
Mary s conversion and Lazaruss resurrection
We know that both wero Gead--one in thu
grave, the other in the sepulchre of sin boil
were offensive to the eyes of men, one becaus,
of the corruption of His body, the other be
cause of the deflement of her soul tie mira
Gle OF conversion was as great as that of the
| resurrection; to forgive SINS to raise the
dead, being the work of God alone.
Saints have restored the dead but it was
in the name and by the power of God. The
Church forgives sin, but her commission comes
from her Lord, and His seal is upon all that
she may bind or loose. And we infer that Of
all those who followed Him, Martha, Mary
| and Lazarus must have ackno " lodged with
the greatest faith, that Jesus was the promised
Messiah, the long expected Son of David.
They had been the recipients of His greatest
| favors, the privileged friends of His toilsome
ministry, the dear companions of His hours of
repose. But We have dwelt upon this event in
the lives of the friends of our Lord, principally
because of its influence upon Msgdaiene's
future that of holy
which is not recorded upon the Gospel pages
that life of thirty years spent in the recesses
of rugged mountain, that life which has
been embalmed by the traditions of q whole
people, until it seems to perfume the very air
they breathe.
Yet another scene in which Magdalene bears
a part, is told by the Evangelist.
Six days before the Pasch, O banquet was
given in honor of Lazarus's return to life, and
the Saviour was there. Martha served the
guests, but I.anarus was with them who sat at
table, and many of the Jews who had heard
these things, came to see the Lord and him
whom He raised from the dead But where
was Maryf Soon we her, silently and
humbly entering the banquet hall, with a box
of rare ointment in her hands. Standing be-
hind the Saviour, she pours out the precious
perfume upon His head and His feet until the
whole " house was filled with the odor of the
ointment" John xii.)
st. Mark tells US that she also broke the ala
baster box, while some among the disciples
at the oaste of what might have
been given to the poor.
But after commencing the loving Offering,
and assuring those about him that she had
come only to anoint His body for the burial,
the Saviour adds: Wheresoever this Gospel !
shall be preached in the whole world that also |
which she hath done sh all be told for a memo.
rial Of her."
Thus does Magdalene's name, as q sweet fra.
GRANGE, fill the whole world, even as the Der
tune poured at the Masters feet, filled the
whole house with its delicious odor.
How kindly the Divine Master tax es Mury's
part, how pathetioally He speaks, even at the
banquet, amid light, aud joy, and feasting of
lis approaching burial--a mystery to all about
Him, unless, His words imply, Magdalene
lad foreknowledge of the dreadful passion
o near at hand.
Once more do we see Magdalene silent and
yeeping-not only before her Saviour, but
wen at the foot of His cross. There with the
'irgin Mary, she witnesses all the three hours
gony, listens to the sacred words spoken from
his altar of infinite love, and sees, at last, the
ppal1ipg gloom which hides from her tue
faster whom she loved SO we'll.
The Fathers bid recognize in these two
cures at the cross-the sinless Virgin and the
growing Magdalene, how in the eyes of God,
epentance is the sister of innocence And no
esson can be moro corsoling to our erriug
carts, than this close proximity of the Mother
Jesus to the woman whose MANY Eins He ,
ad forgiven.
And here we leave our subject, although we
now that once again, and for the last time. ,
10 Gospel shows us Magdalen kneeling before
or God; but as tradition takes up the beau. :
full history at this point, we will return to it c
our next article. Aud yet we fear our pic S
re is sadly deficient in all the soft, bright 6
Tors which wished to throw upon it, Yet /
our readers will only gaze upon the central J.
Magdalene of the gospel-pouring
1t her whole heart at the Saviour's feet, C
unding the depths of His unbounded love, b
alizing heigreatness of His infinite compass Il