By Anne Metz
We all have a relationship with Jesus and hopefully, we can call that relationship a friendship. We talk to him through prayer. We listen to him in Eucharistic Adoration. We read his words to us in the Bible.
Mary Magdalene was a real, in-person friend of Jesus. She lived at the same time he was on Earth. She knew him and spent time with him. How amazing must it have been to be real in-person friends with Jesus? We can learn a great deal from Mary Magdalene about what it means to be in a friendship with Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus.
The word "disciple" means "follower." Mary Magdalene followed Jesus throughout his public ministry. She learned from him, spent time with him, ate meals with him, and most likely helped and served him on their journeys.
To be followers of Jesus, we are called to do these same things. To be in friendship with Jesus requires these things as well. In earthly friendships, we spend time together, dine together, help, and learn from each other. We can do those same things with Jesus even though we are not in the same place.
When we pray, we are spending time with Jesus. When we go to mass and receive the Eucharist, we are sharing a meal with him. When we read the Bible, we are reading His Living Word to us. When we care for others, we are caring for Jesus. These are all things we are called to do as disciples and friends of Jesus. .
Mary Magdalene stayed with Jesus.
When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane on Holy Thursday, his apostles fled. When we read about Jesus dying on the cross, there were only a few that were with him: Mary the mother of Jesus, the apostle John, Mary Magdalene, and another woman named Mary. It must have been hard to watch, and it must have taken a lot of courage for those who stayed.
We, too, are called to do hard things as disciples and friends of Jesus. May we be brave like Mary Magdalene and stand by Jesus even if we are subject to mockery and persecution. May we be compassionate like Mary and stand by others when they are suffering, even when we can’t take their pain away.
Mary Magdalene was the first to the tomb.
Mary was the first back at the tomb on Easter Sunday, and she was the one to discover the stone rolled away. What an amazing gift! Of all the people God could have revealed this to, he chose a humble woman, a good friend of Jesus. We, like Mary, may not be rich, powerful, or important in the eyes of the world, but we are everything to God. What might he reveal to us during our friendship with him?
Jesus said Mary’s name.
In the empty tomb, angels appeared to Mary and asked why she was crying. She said it was because someone had taken her Lord away. When she turned around she saw a man. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him and thought he was the gardener. He asked, “Why are you crying?” Again, she answered that someone had taken her Lord away.
It was then that Jesus said one word: "Mary." With that one word, Mary recognized that the man was Jesus. She was filled with joy and embraced him.
Jesus knows our name too. He knows us intimately and calls us by name. He has counted every hair on our heads and is concerned about every detail of our lives. He loves us with an all-encompassing love.
Jesus gives Mary Magdalene a mission.
Jesus told Mary, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17) Mary did as Jesus asked. She went to the disciples and told them the incredible news. We can follow in Mary’s footsteps and tell others about this incredible news, that Jesus is our Risen Lord, that he died for our sins, and in rising saved us all.
As parents, we should certainly start by telling this good news to our children. We can read them Bible stories, take them to church, and pray with them. We can tell them how wonderful it is to be in a friendship with Jesus.
The life of Mary Magdalene is a blueprint for us, showing us how to be a true friend to Jesus. Her life also shows us how deeply and completely Jesus loves us. St. Mary Magdalene, friend of Jesus, pray for us!
When she’s not writing about faith, Anne Metz works for Growing Catholics, whose mission is to bring Scripture to all, especially tweens and teens.
