20260722 Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

[그리움하나]

(Sng 3:1-4b; Jn 20:1-2, 11-18): Beyond the Shadows of the Night, the Loving Voice Calling Mary

Praise be to Jesus Christ.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, a faithful disciple of our Lord and the very first witness to the Resurrection. The Word of God today touchingly reveals a soul's earnest longing for God and the radiant, loving reunion that awaits at the end of that desire.

In the Song of Songs, Chapter 3, Verse 1, the bride confesses: "On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves."

This verse naturally brings to mind the "Dark Night of the Soul" so beautifully sung by Saint John of the Cross. The 'dark night' that he spoke of in our spiritual journey is a time of deep solitude and trial—a moment when all consolation seems to vanish and we feel the painful absence of God. Yet, Saint John of the Cross reminds us that this night is not merely a time of despair, but a "night of grace" that purifies our hearts to long solely for God.

Mary Magdalene, too, was passing through a profound dark night of the soul before meeting the Risen Lord. She had witnessed the tragic death of her Teacher under the cross, and to her, a world without Him was nothing but pitch-black night. That is why, while it was still dark in the early morning, she ran toward the tomb where nothing could be seen. In the midst of darkness—with empty hands and seemingly lost hope—her heart held onto only one thing: searching for "him whom my heart loves."

As Mary stood weeping by the tomb, the Risen Jesus approached her. Yet, because tears blinded her soul and she was still wrapped in the darkness of grief, she did not recognize Him and thought He was the gardener. It was then that Jesus asked her: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" (Jn 20:15)

This question from Jesus was far more than a simple inquiry. It was a question filled with compassion and love, one that completely embraced all of Mary's deep sorrow, her sense of loss, and the ache she was carrying in her heart.

Why did Mary Magdalene long for the Lord so intensely? It was because when the whole world pointed fingers at her, labeled her, and deemed her worthless, Jesus was the only one who truly looked at her "just as she was." He was the only person who gazed upon her not through her past or her faults, but as a precious soul, filled with deep love and mercy. Unable to forget that warm gaze and boundless love, she wept, seeking at least to care for His body.

And then, in that holy moment that followed, the Lord called her by her own name: "Mary!" (Jn 20:16)

Among the countless names in the world, when the One who understands and loves us most deeply calls us by name, that voice echoes to the very depths of our soul. With that single word, "Mary!", all the wandering, tears, wounds, and solitude of the 'dark night' she had endured melted away in an instant. The memory of that love—the love that saw her for who she truly was—came alive once again. Only then were her eyes opened to look upon Him, and from the depths of her soul came a confession: "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher)

This confession was an overwhelming longing for the One who accepted her completely with mercy, and a cry of the soul for a love reunited beyond death. It was the moment she finally held close "him whom her heart loves," after searching through the long night.

My dear brothers and sisters, we, too, encounter many 'dark nights' throughout our lives. We wander through times of grief from losing loved ones, periods of spiritual dryness, and the painful solitude of feeling as though the Lord has left us.

Yet, Saint Mary Magdalene shows us today that even in the dark night of the soul, when we do not let go of our longing for the Lord and keep searching for Him, He is already standing right beside us. And even now, He gently asks us with deep empathy for our sorrows: "Why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"

No matter what state we are in, or what wounds and frailties we carry, the Lord loves us and looks upon us with compassion just as we are. During this Mass today, let us listen closely to His voice as He calls each of us by name: "Mary!"—and in that place, gently insert your own name.

May we, too, respond to His tender voice of love with tears of joy and gratitude, confessing like Mary Magdalene: "Rabbouni, my Lord and my Love!” Amen.