Sermon – Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene – 22 July 2026

Saint Augustine used to say: “If you love the world, you become the world; but if you love God, what shall I say? You become God. I dare say this because it is written: ‘I have said: You are gods, all children of the Most High’” (Psalm 82:6).

Love is a unifying force; it is an inclination toward that which is loved. Therefore, if you love God, you will become God, because you will be united with God.

This is precisely what we see in the saint we celebrate today, Saint Mary Magdalene. In the Bible, it is said that Jesus cast out seven demons from him (Luke 8:2). This reminds us of the seven deadly sins; he was probably committing these sins and was therefore possessed by those seven demons.

Before knowing Christ, she loved the world and its pleasures. After knowing Christ, she desired to love only Christ, to the point of following Him even at the moment of His crucifixion. Everyone else abandoned Christ, except for the Apostle Saint John… But Mary did not.

From committing the seven deadly sins to following the Lord at the most terrifying, painful, and humiliating moment of His life—that is love; it teaches us to follow Christ to the death. And because he loved Him so much and was PATIENT in that love, he was granted the grace to see the Risen Jesus before the apostles.

Three lessons from this saint's life:

1. One must know Christ. By reading about his life and the Bible.

2. To make contact with Him; especially during liturgy, while worshipping the Eucharist.

3. To love Him: True love is proven by following Him, even to the cross, as He did.

   
   

Let us ask Saint Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of the Lord, for these three blessings: to know Jesus, to communicate with Him, and to love Him.