Scripture tells us that St. Mary Magdalen had a special devotion to Christ’s precious feet. She wept over and anointed His feet in contrition for her sins. She humbly sat at His feet, listening to every word of His teaching. She stood courageously at the foot of His cross, bearing the weight of His passion. What a humble devotion, to worship at the feet of our Lord.
“How beautiful are the feet upon the mountains of the one bringing good news.” (Is 52:7)
There’s been debate about the identity of Mary Magdalen over the centuries. Is she the sinful but repentant woman who Christ forgives? Is she Martha and Lazarus’s sister? Is she a wealthy woman from Magdala who Christ freed from seven demons (Lk 8:2) and who then followed Him even to His cross? Western Church tradition—including teachings from St. Pope Gregory the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Augustine—hold that Mary Magdalen is actually the woman portrayed in each of these Scriptural accounts. We learn from these stories how the Magdalen’s conversion, repentance, and healing lead to her generous, love-filled discipleship.
What trust-filled hope Mary Magdalen showed Jesus when she first anointed His feet: “Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he (Jesus) was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment” (Lk 7: 37-38). Her reward for this beautiful act of conversion and repentance was forgiveness. Jesus told the Pharisee: “So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love” (Lk 7:47).
What childlike faith Mary Magdalen showed in today’s Gospel reading (Lk 10:38-42). She sits at Jesus’s feet and listens to Him. She is His disciple; He is her Rabbouni. When Martha becomes angry with Mary for not helping her to serve, Jesus protects her: “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Lk 10:42).
What courageous love Mary Magdalen showed when she stood at the foot of the Cross: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala” (Jn 19:25). Imagine the fear and grief she and the other women had to overcome in order to stand in devotion to Christ at His crucifixion.
They stayed with Him through His death and followed His body to be buried, keeping Vigil: “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb” (Matt 27:62). Jesus rewarded her devotion by appearing to her first after His Resurrection (Jn 20: 11-18). She ran to tell the other disciples in the Upper Room, the first to share this Good News, making her the Apostle to the Apostles: “Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and what he told her” (Jn 20:18).
statue created by Lynn Kircher, photo by Barbara Morrison
When we pray at the foot of the Cross or before the monstrance holding His precious Body in the adoration chapel, we are like St. Mary Magdalen. We bring Him our sins and our needs in prayer, as she did at her conversion. We sit at His feet and listen to hear Him speak to us in our hearts, as she did in Bethany. We adore Him, as she did at the foot of His Cross.
Heavenly Father, through the intercession of St. Mary Magdalen, help us to love You and bring others to know and love You. Strengthen us in the virtues of faith, hope, and love.
Readings for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
GENESIS 18: 1-10
PSALM 15:2-5
COLOSSIANS 1: 24-28
LUKE 10: 38-42