Deepertruth: Stand In The Gap With Us And St. Mary Magdalene

 “Almighty Father, I place the Precious Blood of Jesus before my lips before I pray, that my prayers may be purified before they ascend to Your divine altar.”

Stand In The Gap With Us And St. Mary Magdalene 7/22/2024.  Except for the mother of Jesus, few women are more honored in the Bible than Mary Magdalene. Yet she could well be the patron of the slandered, since there has been a persistent legend in the Church that she is the unnamed sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:36-50.

St. Mary Magdalene was one of my favorite Saints as a child because of her strong desire to follow Jesus. I remember my Mother having a holy card with her image on it. Her story would become a great example of God's mercy and grace.

Most Scripture scholars today point out that there is no scriptural basis for confusing the two women. Mary Magdalene, that is, “of Magdala,” was the one from whom Christ cast out “seven demons” (Luke 8:2)—an indication at the worst, of extreme demonic possession or possibly, severe illness.

Traditionally she has been identified as a women that lived as a prostitute, but scripture does not reveal such a background. What ever her background, she had serous spiritual issues. Luke 8:1-3 says:

"Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources."