Grace Conquers All | A Reflection on St. Mary Magdalene
A few months ago, I was reflecting on the Passion narrative. Now, this isn’t anything new—especially since it was during the Easter Triduum—but I was struck in a particular way when reciting the words from John’s Gospel:
“Crucify Him, crucify Him.”
I think saying these words hits me harder each year, not because the words change, but because I change through grace. As we grow deeper and deeper in love with Jesus, saying these words in the presence of the Church becomes harder and harder, especially when we realize we say them internally every time we sin.
But this year something else came to mind: the disposition of Pilate. He’s a heartbreaking figure really. Burdened with a leadership he doesn’t recognize the source of; thirsting for truth he hasn’t allowed himself to look for. To be so cavalier about sending an innocent man to his death—to just wash his hands of it—and at the same time feel unrest in his soul and have no way of identifying its source or seeking its healing.
And then to contrast that with Mary Magdalene: a woman who has known darkness, has known suffering. A woman who has experienced a complete and utter destitution of mind, body, and soul, but still weeps at the feet of our Lord on the cross. The comparison brought me to a thought:
The only thing that determines whether we’re Mary Magdalene at the foot of the cross, or Pilate sending Christ to His death, is our willingness to receive God’s grace.
At the core, Pilate and Mary Magdalene aren’t so different. Both had experienced a life without Christ. Both had encountered immense suffering, whether their own or witnessed in their community. Both were human beings who were faulted, broken, and longing for truth.
But Mary Magdalene opened herself to God’s grace.
And Pilate washed his hands of it.
We’re all in need of God’s grace, and time and time again He’s shown His faithfulness in supplying us with exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. Mary Magdalene is rumored to be many things in the Bible—a woman caught in adultery, the sister of St. Martha, the woman who anointed our Lord with oil—but there are three things we know for sure:
She had seven demons cast out from her (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2)
She was present with Mary and St. John at the Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord (John 19, Matthew 27, Mark 15)
She was one of the first witnesses of the Risen Christ (John 20, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24)
Destitution, faithfulness, and glory, with grace everflowing along the way.
God’s grace never stops pursuing us, but unless we open our hearts to His Will and constant merciful love, we won’t be able to experience the fruits of it. Fruits like perseverance in suffering, healing in community, a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church—eternal peace and joy in Heaven.
As we celebrate our patroness this feast day, let’s live with the faith of Mary Magdalene so we don’t wash our hands of the Lord, like Pilate.