Prayers to St Mary Magdalen

SELECTION OF PRAYERS & REFLECTIONS IN HONOR OF
ST. MARY MAGDALEN
Feast Day July 22nd

PRAYER OF ST. ANSELM TO ST. MARY MAGDALEN

St. Mary Magdalen, you came with springing tears to the Spring of Mercy, Christ; from Him your burning thirst was abundantly refreshed; through Him your sins were forgiven; by Him your bitter sorrow was consoled. My dearest lady,
well you know, by your own life, how a sinful soul can be reconciled with its creator, what counsel a soul in misery needs, what medicine will restore the sick to health. It is enough for us to understand, dear friend of God, to whom were “many sins forgiven, because she loved much”.

Most blessed lady, I, who am the most evil and sinful of men [women], do not recall your sins as a reproach, but call upon the boundless mercy by which they were blotted out. This is my reassurance, so that I do not despair; this is my longing, so that I shall not perish. I say this of myself, miserably cast down into the depths of vice, bowed down with the weight of crimes, thrust down by my own hand into a dark prison of sins, wrapped round with the shadows of darkness.

Therefore, since you are now with the chosen, because you are beloved and are beloved because you are chosen of God, I, in my misery, pray to you, in bliss; in my darkness, I ask for light; in my sins, redemption; impure, I ask for purity. Recall in loving kindness what you used to be, how much you needed mercy, and seek for me that same forgiving love that you received when you were wanting it.

Ask urgently, that I may have the love that pierces the heart; tears that are humble; desire for the homeland of Heaven; impatience with this earthly exile; searing repentance; and a dread of torments in eternity. Turn, to my good, that ready access that you once had and still have to the Spring of Mercy. Draw me to Him, where I may wash away my sins; bring me to Him, Who can slake my thirst; pour over me those waters that will make my dry places fresh. You will not find it hard to gain all you desire from so loving and so kind a Lord, Who is alive and reigns and is your friend.

For who can tell, beloved and blest of God, with what kind familiarity and familiar kindness He Himself replied, on your behalf, to the calumnies of those who were against you? How He defended you, when the proud Pharisee was indignant, how He excused you, when your sister complained, how highly He praised your deed, when Judas begrudged it. And, more than all this, what can I say, how can I find words to tell, about the burning love with which you sought Him, weeping at the sepulcher, and wept for Him in your seeking? How He came, who can say how or with what kindness, to comfort you, and made you burn with love still more; how He hid from you when you wanted to see Him, and showed Himself when you did not think to see Him; how He was there all the time you sought Him, and how He sought you when, seeking Him, you wept.

But You, most holy Lord, why do You ask her why she weeps? Surely You can see; her heart, the dear life of her soul, is cruelly slain. O love to be wondered at; O evil to be shuddered at; You hung on the wood, pierced by iron nails, stretched out like a thief for the mockery of wicked men; and yet, “Woman!” You say, “Why are you weeping?” She had not been able to prevent them from killing You, but at least she longed to keep Your Body for a while with ointments lest it decay. No longer able to speak with You living, at least she could mourn for You dead. So, near to death and hating her own life, she repeats, in broken tones, the words of life which she had heard from the living. And now, besides all this, even the Body, which she was glad, in a way, to have kept, she believes to have gone.

And can You ask her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Had she not reason to weep? For she had seen with her own eyes if she could bear to look what cruel men cruelly did to You; and now all that was left of You from their hands she thinks she has lost. All hope of you has fled, for now she has not even your lifeless body to remind her of You. And someone asks, “Who are you looking for? Why are you weeping?” You, her sole joy, should be the last thus to increase her sorrow. But You know it all well, and thus You wish it to be, for only in such broken words and sighs can she convey a cause of grief as great as hers. The love You have inspired you do not ignore, And indeed You know her well, the Gardener, Who planted her soul in his garden. What You plant, I think You also water. Do you water, I wonder, or do You test her? In fact, You are both watering and putting to the test.

But now, good Lord, gentle Master, look upon Your faithful servant and disciple, so lately redeemed by Your Blood, and see how she burns with anxiety, desiring You, searching all round, questioning, and what she longs for is nowhere found.
Nothing she sees can satisfy her, since You whom alone she would behold, she sees not. What then? How long will my Lord leave his beloved to suffer thus? Have you put off compassion now you have put on incorruption? Did You let go of goodness when You laid hold of immortality? Let it not be so, Lord. You will not despise us mortals now You have made Yourself immortal, for You made yourself a mortal in order to give us immortality.

And so it is; for love’s sake He cannot bear her grief for long or go on hiding Himself. For the sweetness of love He shows Himself who would not for the bitterness of tears. The Lord calls His servant by the name she has often heard and the servant knows the voice of her own Lord. I think, or rather I am sure, that she responded to the gentle tone with which He was accustomed to call, “Mary’. What joy filled that voice, so gentle and full of love. He could not have put it more simply and clearly: “I know who you are and what you want; behold Me; do not weep, behold Me; I am He Whom you seek.”

At once the tears are changed; I do not believe that they stopped at once, but where once they were wrung from a heart broken and self-tormenting they flow now from a heart exulting. How different is, “Master!” from “If You have taken Him away, tell me!”; and, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him!” has a very different sound from, “I have seen the Lord, and He has spoken to me!”

But how should I, in misery and without love, dare to describe the love of God and the blessed friend of God? Such a flavor of goodness will make my heart sick, if it has, in itself, nothing of that same virtue. But in truth, You who are very Truth, You know me well and can testify that I write this for the love of Your love, my Lord, my most dear Jesus. I want Your love to burn in me as you command, so that I may desire to love You alone and sacrifice to You a troubled spirit,
“a broken and a contrite heart”.

Give me, O Lord, in this exile, the bread of tears and sorrow, for which I hunger more than for any choice delights. Hear me, for Your love, and for the dear merits of Your beloved Mary, and Your blessed Mother, the greater Mary. Redeemer, my good Jesus, do not despise the prayers of one who has sinned against You, but strengthen the efforts of a weakling that loves You. Shake my heart out of its indolence, Lord, and in the ardor of Your love bring me to the everlasting sight of Your glory, where, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, You live and reign, God, for ever. Amen.

(St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Doctor of the Church; born at Aosta, a Burgundian town, on the confines of Lombardy, Italy, who died on April 21st, 1109).

PRAYER TO SAINT MARY MAGDALEN
Taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Gueranger

Praise be to Thee, O Christ, Creator, Redeemer, and Savior, of Heaven and Earth and seas, of angels and of men, Whom we confess to be both God and Man, Who didst come in order to save sinners, Thyself without sin, taking the appearance of sin. Among this poor flock, Thou didst visit the Canaanite woman and Mary Magdalen. From the same table Thou didst nourish the one with the crumbs of the Divine Word, the other with Thy inebriating cup.

While Thou art seated at the typical feast in the house of Simon the Leper, the Pharisee murmurs, while the woman weeps, conscious of her guilt. The sinner despises his fellow-sinner, Thou, sinless one hearest the prayer of the penitent, cleanses her from stains, lovest her so as to make her beautiful. She embraces the feet of her Lord, washes them with her tears, dries them with her hair: washing and wiping them, she anoints them with sweet ointment, and covers them with kisses.

Such, O Wisdom of the Father, is the banquet that delights Thee!
Though born of a Virgin, Thou cost not disdain to be touched by a sinful woman.
The Pharisee invited Thee, but it is Mary that gives Thee a feast.
Thou forgivest much to her that loves much, and that falls not again into sin.
From seven devils cost Thou free her by Thy sevenfold Spirit.
To her, when Thou risest from the dead, Thou showest Thyself first of all.

By her, O Christ. Thou dost designate the Gentile Church, the stranger whom Thou callest to the children’s table; who, at the feast of the Law and at the feast of grace, is despised by the pride of Pharisees, and harassed by leprous heresy.

Thou knowest what manner of woman she is, it is because she is a sinner that she touches Thee, and because she longs for pardon. What could she have, poor sick one, without receiving it, and without the physician assisting her?

O King of kings, rich unto all, save us, wash away all the stains of our sins, O Thou the hope and glory of the saints.

RESPONSORY
Congratulate me, all ye that love the Lord; for He whom I sought appeared to me: and while I wept at the tomb I saw my Lord, alleluia.
When the disciples withdrew, I did not withdraw, and being kindled with the fire of His love, I burned with desire.
And while I wept at the tomb I saw my Lord, alleluia.

PRAYER
We beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may be helped by the intercession of blessed Mary Magdalen, entreated by whose prayers Thou didst raise up again to life her brother Lazarus, who had been dead four days. Thou Who livest and reignest forever. Amen

(Taken from Volume XIII of “The Liturgical Year” by Abbot Guéranger O.S.B.)

LITANY IN HONOR OF SAINT MARY MAGDALEN
Litany #1

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Saint Mary Magdalen, pray for us.
Sister of Martha and Lazarus, pray for us.
Thou who didst enter the Pharisee's house to anoint the feet of Jesus, pray for us.
Who didst wash His feet with thy tears, pray for us.
Who didst dry them with thy hair, pray for us.
Who didst cover them with kisses, pray for us.
Who wast vindicated by Jesus before the proud Pharisee, pray for us.
Who from Jesus received the pardon of thy sins,
Who before darkness wast restored to light, Mirror of penance, pray for us.
Disciple of Our Lord,
Wounded with the love of Christ, pray for us.
Most dear to the Heart of Jesus, pray for us.
Constant woman, pray for us.
Last at the Cross of Jesus, first at His tomb, pray for us.
Thou who wast the first to see Jesus risen, pray for us.
Whose forehead was sanctified by the touch of the risen Master, pray for us.
Apostle of apostles, pray for us.
Who didst choose the "better part," pray for us.
Who lived for many years in solitude being miraculously fed, pray for us.
Who wast visited by angels seven times a day, pray for us.
Sweet advocate of sinners, pray for us.
Spouse of the King of Glory, pray for us.

V. Saint Mary Magdalen, earnestly intercede for us with thy Divine and Merciful Master,
R. That we may share thy happiness in Heaven.

Let Us Pray
May the glorious merits of blessed Mary Magdalen, we beseech Thee, O Lord, make our offerings acceptable to Thee, for Thine only-begotten Son vouchsafed graciously to accept the humble service she rendered. We ask this through Him Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. R. Amen.

May the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen help us, O Lord, for it was in answer to them that Thou didst call her brother Lazarus, four days after death, back from the grave to life, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, Unity in Trinity, world without end. R. Amen.

LITANY IN HONOR OF SAINT MARY MAGDALEN
Litany #2

Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God―Pray for us.
Refuge of sinners―Pray for us.
Queen conceived without sin―Pray for us.

St. Mary Magdalen―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, model of all true penitents―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who made no delay in returning to God―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who being once converted, despised all earthly pleasures―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who had no other grief but that of having offended infinite goodness―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who turned all that had served to sin into periods of love and sorrow―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, whose eyes, once instruments of sin, are now bathed in tears―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, whose lips, once defiled, are now made pure by the hallowed kiss of Jesus’ feet―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, whose hands, once sinful, are now holy by the sacred touch of Jesus’ feet―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, whose hair, once adorned to please creatures, is now used to wipe Jesus’ feet―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, whose penance was a true holocaust to divine love―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who heard the blessed words, “Thy sins are forgiven!”―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who left Jesus’ feet with the consoling words―“Go in peace!”―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who followed Jesus even to Calvary―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who assisted at the agony of Jesus―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who received drops of blood falling from the cross―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who heard the loud cry, “All is consummated!”―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who saw Jesus expiring―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who mingled thy tears with those of the sorrowful Mother―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who went early to the sepulcher, to embalm the body of Jesus―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who, in thy grief, noticed not the bright host of Heaven―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who would not be comforted until the life-giving voice had said: “Mary!”―Pray for us.
St. Mary Magdalen, who wast the first apostle of the Resurrection―Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us

Let Us Pray:
O my God! May Thy love be the sole principle of my penance. Let my sorrow be to have offended Thee, my Supreme Good, my first beginning and last end. May my tears flow from a heart wounded with love. I grieve for the past, and firmly resolve never more to offend Thee. Amen.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE TEARS OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN

Promise: St. Mary Magdalen said to St. Mechtilde: “Whoever shall give God thanks for all the tears I shed upon the feet of Jesus, our most merciful God will grant him, through my intercession, remission of all his sins before his death, and a great increase of love of God.”

O most merciful Jesus, I give Thee thanks for that work of piety which the blessed Mary Magdalen wrought on Thee, when she washed Thy feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed them and anointed them with fragrant ointment; whereby she obtained from Thee such signal grace that Thou didst pour into her heart and soul so great a love of Thee, that she could love nothing apart from Thee; beseeching Thee, that by her merits and intercessions Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give me tears of true repentance and pour into my heart Thy Divine love (Name Your Request) Amen.

(3 Our Father’s, 3 Hail Mary’s, 3 Glory Be’s)

A PRAYER ACCORDING TO THE HEART OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN

Jesus, my only good and my all! Infinite are the graces that I have received from You, and infinite also are my obligations to You, especially for having delivered me from the Egypt of the world and drawn me to Your Holy House―the Church. Poor creature that I am, what shall I do for You, my Jesus? I shall ask love, promising to love You always with my whole soul, with my whole heart and above all things. Yes, Jesus, my God and my all, I thank You and I accept the commandment that You have given me to love You, obliging myself from this moment to observe it under vow. Each day my heart experiences more strongly, my Jesus, the necessity to love. Apart from You, every other love is vain. To You, then, my God, from this day forward, I consecrate all my affections and all my aspirations. If for one moment I were to experience any affection that is not entirely Yours, a moment before that, grant that I may die for love of You.

O Jesus, the thought of not having loved You always and having offended You at any time afflicts me greatly. The love with which I now desire to love You, which is to love You as much as You deserve to be loved, compensates for the time in which I did not love You. The vow that I now make will be perfected in Heaven, when I shall be compelled by sweet necessity to love You for all eternity.

Accept this vow, my Jesus, which I offer to You through the hands of the most blessed Mary, so that through her intercession it will be pleasing to You and will obtain for me the helps necessary to fulfill it perfectly and to be able one day to die of love in her arms. Amen. Jesus and Mary, bless your Mary Magdalen.

I carry this written on my heart and have the intention of renewing this vow with every beat of my heart, so that the last heartbeat will be an act of love that will carry me to Heaven.

Venerable Mother Mary Magdalen, C.P.
Venerable Mother Mary Magdalen († 1960) was a Passionist nun from Spain and a spiritual writer.

A SHORT TO ST. MARY MAGDALEN

St. Mary Magdalen, woman of many sins, who, by conversion, became the beloved of Jesus; I thank you for your witness that Jesus forgives through the miracle of compassionate love and mercy. You, who already possess eternal happiness in His glorious presence, please intercede for me, so that, some day, I may share in the same everlasting joy. Amen.

HYMN : PATER SUPERNI LUMINIS
From the Divine Office on the feast of St. Mary Magdalen

Father of lights! One glance of Thine,
Whose eyes the universe control,
Fills Magdalen with holy love,
And melts the ice within her soul.

Her precious ointment forth she brings,
Upon those sacred Feet to pour;
She washes them with burning tears;
And with her hair she wipes them o’er.

Impassioned to the Cross she clings:
Nor fears beside the tomb to stay;
Nor dreads the soldiers’ savage mien,
For love has cast all fear away.

O Christ, Thou very Love itself!
Blest hope of man, through Thee forgiven!
So touch our spirits from above,
So purify our souls from Heaven.

To God the Father, with the Son,
And Holy Paraclete, with Thee,
As evermore hath been before,
Be glory through eternity. Amen.

HYMN : MARIA CASTIS OSCULIS
From the Divine Office on the feast of St. Mary Magdalen

His Sacred Feet with tears of agony
She bathes; and prostrate on the ground adores;
Steels them in kisses chaste, wipes them dry
With her own hair; then forth her precious ointment pours.

Praise in the highest to the Father be;
Praise to the mighty co-eternal Son;
And praise, O Spirit Paraclete to Thee,
While ages evermore of endless ages run. Amen.

MEDITATION OF ST. PETER JULIAN EYMARD
on St. Mary Magdalen

Saint Mary Magdalen was the privileged friend of Jesus. She served Him with her wealth and accompanied Him everywhere. She honored His humanity magnificently with her gifts. She loved to pray at His feet in the silence of contemplation. For all these reasons she is the patroness and model of a life spent in the adoration and service of Jesus in the Sacrament of His love. Let us study Saint Mary Magdalen; her life is full of the very best lessons.

Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and Lazarus; but especially Mary. Certainly He loved the three of them, but He loved Magdalen with preferential love. Although our Lord loves us all, He nevertheless has His favorite friends, and He allows us also have special friends in God. Friends are a natural and even supernatural need. All the saints had bosom friends, and they themselves were the most affectionate and devoted of friends.

Before her conversion Mary Magdalen was a public sinner. She possessed all the qualities of mind and body and all the gifts of fortune that can lead one to the worst excesses. And she fell into them. The Gospel lowers her to the rank of a public sinner. She was so degraded that Simon the Pharisee felt disgraced when she entered his home. And he even doubted the prophetic power of Jesus because the Master allowed her to remain at His feet.

But after having been forgiven, this poor sinful woman was to take her place among the greatest saints. See her at work. Human respect is, more than anything else, what holds back great sinners and prevents them from being converted. ”I will not be able to persevere,” they say. ”I dare not start what I cannot finish.” And disheartened, they go no further.

But Mary Magdalen learned that Jesus was in Simon’s house. She did not hesitate, but went straight to Jesus and made her confession in public. She dared enter a house from which she would have been shamefully expelled had she been recognized at the door. While at the feet of Jesus, she said not a word; her love spoke audibly enough. Artists have painted her with disheveled hair and disorderly dress; that is all imagination; it would not have been worthy either of Jesus or of her contrition.

She went straight to Jesus without mistaking anyone else for Him. But where had she known Him? Ah! An ailing heart knows well where to find the One that will comfort and cure it! Mary dared not look upon Jesus. She said nothing: true contrition acts that way. Look at the Prodigal Son and at the Publican. The sinner who looks God full in the face after having offended Him insults Him. But Mary wept: she ”washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head.” Her place is at the feet of Jesus. These feet trod the earth, and she knew she was but the dust of a corpse. The world is extremely fond of beautiful hair; she used hers as a rag.

She remained prostrate on the ground, awaiting her sentence. She heard the remarks made by the envious Apostles and Jews who honored only triumphant and crowned virtue. They did not like Mary Magdalen who was teaching everyone of them a lesson; for everyone of them had sinned, but not one had the courage to ask pardon publicly. Simon himself, bloated with pride and hypocrisy, grew indignant. But Jesus avenged Mary Magdalen. What beautiful words of rehabilitation: ”More has been forgiven her because she has loved more …. Thy faith hath made thee safe,” said the Savior to her. ”Go in peace.” He did not add: ”Sin no more.” Jesus had said this to the adulteress, who was more humiliated for having been caught in the act than repentant for having offended God. But Mary Magdalen had no need of that advice; her love assured Jesus’ of her firm purpose of amendment. What a beautiful and touching absolution! Mary Magdalen must have had a very perfect contrition! When you go to confession, unite yourself to Mary Magdalen and let your contrition, like hers, proceed more from love than from fear.

Mary Magdalen withdrew after having received this baptism of love. By her humility she became more perfect than the Apostles. Ah! Despise sinners now if you dare! One moment is enough to turn them into great saints. How many among the greatest has not Jesus Christ drawn from the mire of sin: Saint Paul, Saint Augustine, and many others! Mary Magdalen opens the way for them; she ascended to the very Heart of God because she started very low and knew how to humble herself. Who then has a right to despair?