Homily

Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23, 2008, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday
Assumption Grotto Parish, Detroit

Mary Magdalene at the Feet of the Resurrected Lord

At the proclamation of the Lord’s resurrection – for he rose from the dead in the flesh, as he said he would – we are all left, well, a bit speechless. We don’t like to think about death, let alone our own personal death. Yet we manage to admit that, yes, everyone dies, and death is somehow the end. And so when One rose from the dead, we are at a lack of words; indeed, a lack of understanding. So tonight let us enter into this mystery of mysteries; it is not a mystery because we do not know it, for indeed we do know that the Lord rose from the dead; it is a mystery because it exceeds the powers of our tiny human intellects, intellects of sinful souls at that, to comprehend the full import of the Resurrection of the Eternal Word.

So what can we do this night, amid the most sacred rites of the ancient liturgy, rejoicing at the baptism of new brothers in the faith, after the penances and sorrows of forty days of Lent, in order to enter at least a bit into the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ? What can we do so that, tonight, we can reap some spiritual fruit for our souls? I think I have found a way, a way sinners can trod, to climb the mountain of this mystery; a door sinners can pass through to enter into the truth of the living and Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Few people in the scriptures demonstrate the power of Christ in the soul as did Mary Magdelene. She believed that the Lord truly rose in the flesh, and see what happened to her.

For there are three times in scripture when Mary touched the feet of the Lord.

The first time was the beginning of her conversion. She poured her tears upon his feet, and dried his feet with her hair. He freed her from her sins, and cast seven demons out of her. Once free, she never went back to her sins. Yet so many begin following the Lord, and they do turn back to their sins. And this is what St. Peter, the first Pope, teaches in his second letter, quoting Proverbs chapter 26, saying, “It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire’.” What love was in the heart of this woman, that the encounter with the Lord had that much of an impact on her? And who says that same love can’t burn in your own heart? And so the first touching of the Lord’s feet was at Mary’s conversion from sin.

The second was when, in her home with Martha and Lazarus, she took out precious nard, and, under the sneers and criticism of Judas – who had already hung himself in despair by the time the Lord rose from the dead – anointed his feet. She had begun to understand the Lord interiorly, and anointed him in preparation for his redemptive death. The second touching of the Lord’s feet was full of intimate understanding and love.

And this night was the third touching of his feet. For Mary stood at the tomb, and wept, and then wept more. A mighty angel of God caused an earthquake, and, like a victor over a quarry, sat upon the rock which had sealed the tomb. The Lord had risen from the dead! And, as we read just moments ago, Christ appeared to the women. Then it was for the third time that she touched his feet. Not just touched: she clung to his feet, and worshipped him. This third touching of the feet was that of union; and in this union the Lord said, “Noli me tangere,” do not touch me, showing us all that at the heights of spiritual union with God, still then the Lord tries and purifies us like ore in the furnace.

Three adoration of the feet of the Son of God: Tears, nard and adoration. In other words, freedom from sin, intimacy with Christ, and the union of worship; or again, purgation, illumination, and union.

Death in the flesh was brought into the world by the sin of Adam. If death could be conquered, that would mean the reign of sin could be brought to an end. Therefore, the resurrection in the flesh is the end of the reign of sin.

When the mystery of the resurrection has left us all a bit speechless, like deer in the headlights, the poor sinner Mary Magdelene, poor sinner yet great saint because of her love for the Lord, shows us the way. She teaches us to fall at the feet of Christ, to weep for our sins, to love him with all we can muster, to unite ourselves to him by grace.

Abandon yourselves to the Eternal Son of God, the World made Flesh, the Son of Mary. He will free you from all your sins, he will pour out the light and love of his Divine Spirit, and he will bring you into great union with him. Love the Lord and praise him, for he has conquered sin and death and set you free. The Lord is risen from the dead, he is truly risen, Amen, Alleluia.