Episode 2348: It is not the wrong things you did that keep you from God - Morning Episode

Today, we explore the powerful encounter of St. Mary Magdalene with the risen Lord, as described in John 20:18, alongside the insightful reflections of Venerable Fulton Sheen. We will consider how strong passions and deep transformations are at the heart of sanctity, illustrating the immense potential for redemption and love that lies within each of us.

Mary Magdalene's exclamation, "I have seen the Lord!" captures a moment of profound personal transformation and a witness to the resurrection. Her story, combined with Fulton Sheen’s wisdom, invites us to reflect on our own encounters with Christ and the possibility of renewal, no matter our past.

Encountering the Risen Lord:
"I have seen the Lord!" St. Mary Magdalene, John 20:18
Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Christ is one of the most poignant moments in the Gospels. After experiencing profound sorrow and despair at the loss of her Lord, she is the first to witness His resurrection. This moment not only confirms the truth of the resurrection but also transforms Mary from a grieving follower into a joyful witness. Her proclamation, "I have seen the Lord!" becomes the foundation of her testimony and a model for all Christians to encounter the risen Christ personally and to bear witness to His transformative power.

The Power of Redemption
"Strong passions are the precious raw material of sanctity. Individuals who have carried their sinning to extremes should not despair or say, 'I am too great a sinner to change,' or 'God would not want me.' God will take anyone who is willing to love, not with an occasional gesture, but with a 'passionless passion,' a 'wild tranquility.' A sinner, unrepentant, cannot love God, any more than someone on dry land can swim; but as soon as a person takes his errant energies to God and asks for their redirection, he will become happy, as he was never happy before. It is not the wrong things one has already done that keep one from God; it is present persistence in that wrong. Someone who turns back to God, as the Magdalene and Paul, welcomes the discipline that will enable him to change his former tendencies. Mortification is good, but only when it is done out of love of God. ... Mortifications of the right sort perfect our human nature; the gardener cuts the green shoots from the root of the bush, not to kill the rose, but to make it bloom more beautifully." —Venerable Fulton Sheen

Fulton Sheen emphasizes that no matter how deeply we have sinned, we are never beyond the reach of God's grace. Our strong passions, often misdirected into sinful behaviors, can be redirected towards sanctity. The key is our willingness to turn back to God, much like Mary Magdalene and St. Paul did. Their profound conversions remind us that God seeks not the eradication of our passions but their purification and redirection towards divine love. Mortification, then, is not about self-destruction but about pruning our desires to allow our true, God-given nature to flourish.

The Encounter at the Tomb
"Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.' Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rab-bo′ni!' (which means Teacher)...Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'!" — John 20:11-18
Mary’s sorrow transforms into joy when she encounters the risen Jesus. Initially, she does not recognize Him, mistaking Him for the gardener. It is only when Jesus calls her by name that she realizes who He is. This recognition is profoundly personal, emphasizing that our encounters with Christ are deeply intimate and unique. Mary’s immediate response is to share this good news with the disciples, highlighting the transformative power of encountering Christ and the imperative to witness to others.

Conclusion:
As we reflect on these passages and insights, we are reminded of the transformative power of encountering the risen Lord. St. Mary Magdalene’s story encourages us to seek personal encounters with Christ, allowing His resurrection to transform our sorrows into joy and our passions into sanctity. Venerable Fulton Sheen’s reflections remind us that no matter how far we have strayed, God’s grace is always available to redirect our energies towards love and holiness.

Thank you for joining us Today. May these reflections inspire you to seek and recognize the risen Christ in your own life, and to share the joy of this encounter with others. Until next time, may the peace and grace of God be with you, guiding you always.