St. Mary Magdalene

Today is her feast day, and though many attempt to cut her from her traditional roots as the prostitute who became a saint, in this case tradition speaks stronger than research.

Here is an excerpt about her from my book, The Criminal, The Cross & The Church: The Interior Journey.

“There are three major criminal saints—St. Mary Magdalene, (Feast Day July 22) St. Dismas (Feast Day March 25) & St. Callistus (Feast Day October 14)—whose lives dramatically furthered and marked the course of the early Church.” (p. 18)….

“Some biblical scholars have attempted to make a case that Mary Magdalene was not the prostitute legend says she was, but the stronger case is that she was; and it comes, not from critical biblical scholarship, but from an understanding of the transformed criminal, which she also certainly was.

“The courage shown by Mary during the crucifixion and resurrection—and perhaps one of the reasons she is often called the apostle to the apostles—in the face of a threat great enough to send most of the other apostles into flight, is similar to that shown by Dismas the Good Thief, who even on the cross of crucifixion he shared next to Christ, had the courage to stand for truth and for Christ, rewarded by becoming the first canonized saint of the Church.

“Great sinners who have become transformed into saints often bring with them a physical courage usually deeper than that of other saints (one can not imagine Mary Magdalene denying Christ three times as did Peter); and it springs from a personal experiential knowledge of evil, from which they no longer feel fear, but transcendence.

“What magnificent joy was birthed within the penitential Mary Magdalene as Christ drove the devils from her, saving her from her criminal life; and what greater joy became hers as she came alone to the tomb and saw the risen Christ.” (Lukenbill, D. H., 2008, pp. 21-22)