Mary Magdalene Sought Deeply Her Holy Longing
Mary Magdalene was a seeker. She longed for something more and spent much of her life searching for it. She didn’t exactly know what that certain special something was, but only knew it would quench her desire and give her insight on her life’s purpose.
We get the impression that often this desire took her down pathways that were better avoided. Often Mary discovered this too late, and this only made her feel more troubled keeping the source she searched for seem even more hidden and unattainable. Then she met Jesus and she knew instantly that he possessed this same passion which she so earnestly sought.
As she heard Jesus’ message, and listened to his easy explanations, she knew Jesus had the same craving for life which Mary so urgently pursued herself. The more Jesus spoke of this singular unifying passion that is true, good, and beautiful, Mary knew this was the life-force she wanted.
As she listened to Jesus, she knew he understood her longing for this same union with God and to possess this would easily fulfill her human destiny. Fr. Ronald Rolheiser explains Mary’s holy longing simply: “It is channeling the deep mysterious desires of the heart.” And another spiritual expert wrote: “It is the profound desire to be the best and truest self we can be.” These are words Mary could easily understand.
Mary seemed to want to be the truest self and so she followed Jesus, drinking generously on his every word. With each Jesus encounter, Mary Magdalene realized more deeply that Jesus held the secrets for eternal life, and she became determined to know those secrets.
Jesus taught Mary that, though she labored among the many distractions of this world, she needed only one goal, that is, to stay a seeker on her journey. Although Mary had no fixed home on earth, she was on her way, approaching closer to her eternal home.
Pope Francis explains it this way: “It is as if the Church comes to our present moment from the future, reminding us of our ever-approaching destiny. We don’t see it coming because the present keeps us in its haze.” Pope Francis ends with, “It is a wonderful adventure.”
While growing on this earth, we need to see ourselves as a diamond in the rough. Applying a little rub to the stone each day until the sheen appears. Never discarding it, we simply keep rubbing it, until its full radiance shines forth.
We do this with our holy longing. Because we know brilliance is there, we keep rubbing the sheen faithfully until the stone’s full gleam reappears. And like Mary Magdalene we too are guided by the deep desires of our heart.
