Thursday
After breakfast we’ll drive to the fabulous market in Aix-en-Provence, first stopping by Librairie le Blason to visit Rita in her lovely book store. Then we’ll visit Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur, which was built in the twelfth century on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the sun god, Apollo. Saint Maximin and Saint Mary Magdalene erected a small chapel on this site dedicated to Jesus Christ (Saint-Sauveur). The baptistry in the Cathédrale, built in the fourth or fifth century, is one of the oldest in France. Hopefully we will make it to the 12:05 pm Mass at Saint-Jean-de-Malte (24 Rue d’Italie, 13100 Aix-en-Provence). A good map of the center city of Aix is provided in the art book you will receive – Love Affairs of Provence. After Mass you are free for a few hours to have lunch at the restaurant of your choice and enjoy the fabulous market. We’ll try to visit L’Église de la Madeleine where Paul Cézanne was baptized (if open – it has been going through renovation for years). Visit the grounds around Paul Cézanne’s house – Jas de Bouffan. Then we will drive back to the hostellerie for dinner.
MARKET DAY AIX PROVENCE BY SHARON FURNER
CATHÉDRALE SAINT-SAUVEUR
ÉGLISE DE LA MADELEINE
Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene—Day 6
Opening Prayer—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 Estelita and Ofelia walk together to our bus.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 Matthew 27:55-56—55 And there were there many women afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Gospel of Mark 15:40-41—40 And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph, and Salome: 41 Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and ministered to him, and many other women that came up to Jerusalem.
Gospel of John 19:25-30—25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. 27 After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
The Death of Jesus
28 Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. 29 Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar and hyssop, put it to his mouth. 30 Jesus therefore, when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.
Novena Prayer Day 6—Mary is called by her surname “Magdalene” to distinguish her from the other Mary’s who are with her at the foot of the cross: Mary mother of Jesus, and Mary, mother of James. All the apostles have fled. Other than the beloved apostle John, there are only the women who followed Christ from Galilee, who followed him in the long climb towards Golgotha and who alone remain faithful till the end. Even though the Gospel does not say it, Christian art has often represented Mary Magdalene not standing like Mary and John near the cross, but closer still, as always at the feet of Jesus, holding onto the wood of the cross, as though ready to grasp the fruit, like a new Eve. In this position, she is witness to the seven last words of Christ on the cross, addressed to the good thief, to the beloved disciple, to Mary his mother, and to the Father. Undoubtedly, abundant tears pour from her eyes, but this time it is not she who pours the expensive perfume on him: rather it is he who offers his precious blood to the last drop, which anoints her and the whole world; and she captures it in the spiritual vase of her heart. We live in a world that places no value on suffering. Suffering is wasted energy or a kind of emotional distress that somehow needs to be eradicated. Mary comes to a realization in her heart, after she herself has received countless blessings and graces from Christ, that it is these pains and sins which Jesus embraces on the cross. Now Mary understands that her sins became the opportunity for grace; that her sufferings are transformed by the eternal sacrifice on the cross into the possibility of eternal presence with the Messiah she has come to know and love.
None of us wants to suffer, and certainly none of us wants the persons we love to suffer. But the reality of the life Jesus chose to enter is one where suffering comes unexpectedly and inevitably. Mary does not dwell on her sufferings. Rather, Mary embraces the source of her blessings. At the foot of the cross Mary now knows that the one who knew no sin, becomes the one to take upon himself her sin and the world’s sins and makes of them an offering to heaven for everlasting life. We must immitate Mary Magdalene and continually plead before the Lord, recognize his grace, and then to give witness to those graces in our lives.
Closing Prayer—O God, you permitted those who loved you the most to draw from your love the courage to remain near the cross of your Son. Give us a love as strong as that of Mary Magdalene, and in spite of the fear of suffering and death, may we remain faithful in your service. Through Christ, Our Lord, AMEN.
