Chapter 64: Of the great merits, and privileges of grace, of blessed Mary Magdalene

I BLESS You, and give thanks to You, O Lord Jesus Christ, heavenly Physician, Who for the Salvation of our souls, did come into this world to redeem sinners, and to draw them with the cords of Your love, by the path of repentance, to Your heavenly Kingdom. You Who did vouchsafe to be born of Mary, the Virgin, did think no scorn of being touched, of being washed, of being wiped, of being anointed, and of being kissed by Mary, a sinner, when she wept and repented. O loving Jesus, Son of the living God, merciful Saviour of mankind, You did in this life mercifully bestow great privileges of grace upon most blessed Mary Magdalene: when she had turned her back upon the vain things of the world, and had been converted to You, You did graciously accept her penitence; You did fully pardon all her sins; and while she bewailed them with tears. You did freely remit their punishment. You did breathe into her heart that great contrition which she felt; You did save her from losing hope of forgiveness by filling her sorrowing heart with the comfort of Your grace. You did set her soul on fire with Your Holy Spirit, and did inwardly refresh it with the sweetness of Your love. You did bid her go in peace in full trust in Your mercy; You did warn her against going back to her former way of life, and did bid her be steadfast in all manner of holy conversation, and in fervent prayer. Not one harsh word did You ever speak to her, never did You taunt her with her sin, never did You tell any one what she had done; nay, rather You did make excuses for her, and did put forward her good deeds as an example of holy life. When You were the guest of Simon the leper, You did take more pleasure in Mary's tears than in all the dainty food set before You by the Pharisee. You did not shrink from her touch; nor did You spurn her when she anointed You. You did put forward Your Feet, and did bow down Your Head for her; You did not disdain her kisses. With Your Lips You did bless her, with Your Hand You did sanctify her; by Your touch You did cleanse her, by a few short words You did make her whole, saying to her: " Your faith has saved you; go in peace. O what sweet words are these ! They come from the mouth of God; they are full of grace and mercy they are ever to be gratefully remembered.

You did accept the hospitality of Mary and Martha as that of friends dear to You; You did lodge and take Your rest in their house, and they ever made You welcome. There did You eat and drink whatever was set before You and Your disciples, though it was only such as was fit for poor and needy men who had but little money in their common purse: in that house there was no disorder, no noise, no silly jesting, no loud laughter, no unprofitable talk to be heard. Humble as You had made Yourself, yet as Master, in demeanour sober and decorous, You did preside at table; having made Yourself poor, You did share the meals of poor folk: You were their Refection-Reader and Theologian; and instead of wine You did set before the friends who were so dear to You the words of Eternal Life. Martha, busy as she was with household affairs. You did discreetly instruct; and for Mary who took less part in such things, but sat peacefully at Your Feet, drinking in the words which fell from Your Lips, You did make loving excuse. When her sister complained of being left alone to serve, You did praise Mary's higher life of contemplation: and when the traitor Judas found fault about the ointment which she had poured out upon You, You did declare her free from blame. She modestly held her peace; but You at once made answer on her behalf, reciting her good deed, and being silent as to what she had done wrong. When Mary wept over her brother Lazarus lying dead in his tomb. You did weep with her, and You did so join his friends in their grief that many of them said: "Behold how He loved him! " Of what good report must that Lazarus have been, and how pure must have been his life, for Jesus to have loved him when he was alive, to have raised him when he was dead, to have supped with him after he was restored to life!

O loving Jesus, Who are both the Author and the Rewarder of every good deed, You did not forget the faithful service so often done to You in the house of Mary and Martha; small kindnesses You did repay by great; for good deeds done to You in the body You did return spiritual blessings; things earthly You did reward with things eternal. What shall I say more? Words cannot express, the mind cannot realize, all Your good gifts to men, all the miracles and signs wrought by You in Galilee, in Nazareth, in Bethany, in Jerusalem, in Judaea, and throughout the Holy Land, before the eyes of Your disciples and of all men, in witness of the truth; that so by reason of all Your divine and wondrous words and deeds they might believe that You are indeed the Christ, the Son of God, Who came into the world to be the Saviour of mankind. How highly exalted in Heaven are You, Who upon earth were so lowly! How humble and how loving were You amongst men when You did heal them: how stern, and how terrible were You to the demons when You did cast them out! How full of mercy were You to the penitent, how strict were You with evil-doers, how compassionate were You to the afflicted, how kind to those in want, how consoling to those who were in grief! Where among men can be found a friend so faithful, where so powerful a helper in every time of need as You, our God? How great was the joy which You did give to those sisters when You cried with a loud voice: " Lazarus, come forth! " And presently he that had been dead came forth, obedient to the word spoken by You, the Lord of life and death. And then You saidst to Your disciples, as having in Your stead the cure of souls: " Loose him and let him go."

O my Lord, vouchsafe, I pray You, to loose me also from the chains of all my sins, that so I may meet death without fear, may come to You with joy, may join the holy Angels and Mary and Martha in praising You for ever, and may never more fall into sin. Amen.