Day 1—Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene—July 19, 2014

Saturday

The pilgrims joining the Novena Tour of PROVENCE to Saint Mary Magdalene will arrive at Marseille Airport in the morning, flying from California, USA and Canada. We’ll drive to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume and check into our Provençal apartment and then walk over to the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine for the Opening of the Congress “Adoratio2014,“ whose theme is Eucharistic Adoration at the school of Mary Magdalene.

The Opening Mass will be celebrated by His Excellency Dominique Rey, bishop of Fréjus-Toulon. After the Mass there will be a solemn procession of the relics of Saint Mary Magdalene through the town, and Eucharistic Adoration.

Under the patronage of Bishop Dominique Rey, this ecclesial event has been organized by the “Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist,” co-founded by Bishop Rey and Fr. Florian Racine, who is also the pastor of the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION AT THE SCHOOL OF MARY MAGDALENE

BASILIQUE SAINTE-MARIE-MADELEINE

Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene—Day 1

Opening Prayer (recited each day of the novena)—Saint Mary Magdalene, you who were pardoned by Jesus, you who greatly loved; show us the way to true conversion and purity of heart. With love you followed Jesus to serve him; teach us to freely offer our lives for our brothers and sisters. You stood at the cross of Jesus with Mary and John. Obtain the grace of faith and hope in our sufferings. On Easter morning, you received from Jesus the mission of announcing the resurrection to His disciples. Help me to believe that life is stronger than death, that love triumphs over all. Dearest Saint Mary Magdalene, please intercede on behalf of my special intention (recite your special intention here). Through your intercession, I trust in the Lord, AMEN.

Gospel of Luke 7:36-50—A Sinful Woman Forgiven 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee and sat down to meat. 37 And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment. 38 And standing behind at his feet. she began to wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were if a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it. 41 A certain creditor had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty. 42 And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most? 43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly. 44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house: thou gavest me no water for my feet. But she with tears hath washed my feet; and with her hairs hath wiped them. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss. But she, since she cane in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint. But she with ointment hath anointed my feet. 47 Wherefore, I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. 48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe. Go in peace.

Novena Prayer Day 1—The woman of the perfume does not have a proper name; she is ‘the sinful woman’, identified only by her sin. How often have we identified another person, or a group of people, by their sin, or by their perceived sin? How often, like the Pharisee, have we held ourselves above another because of our self-righteousness? Mary receives forgiveness because she throws herself at the feet of Jesus, and weeps out her sin. The beginning of conversion is penance and reconciliation; to allow Jesus to forgive us through the voice of the priest and the ministry of the Church. When we too cry out our sins at the feet of Jesus, we will hear His words to Mary Magdalene, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”

Closing Prayer—O God, most powerful and gentle, who brought life-giving water from the rock for your thirsty people; draw from our hearts the tears of repentance, so that we, like Saint Mary Magdalene, may cry our sins at your feet; and like her, through your great mercy, we will merit your pardon. Through Christ, our Lord, AMEN.

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