Friday
Breakfast at the hostellerie restaurant and afterwards we will spend a little time in the hostellerie gift shop. Drive to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the place where the boat carrying Mary Magdalene and her companions landed in 47 AD. We’ll have a tour of the parish church where St. Mary Salome and St. Mary Jacobe lived (in the crypt) and see their relics along with those of St. Sara. We’ll dine at Brasserie Le Belvédère by the sea and then ride up the Rhône in a boat to get a nice view of the Camargue. In June 1888, Van Gogh took a 30-mile stagecoach ride from Arles to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for a week long trip to recover from health problems. He made paintings of the seaside, of fishing boats, and of the village that you may know. We will have time to walk around the small fishing village and do a little shopping before the 6 pm Holy Mass in the Sanctuary of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. We’ll buy a little dinner to eat in the car on the way back to the hostellerie.
SAINTES-MARIES-DE-LA-MER CHURCH BY VINCENT VAN GOGH
INSIDE THE CHURCH
LAST YEAR’S BOAT RIDE UP THE CAMARGUE
Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene—Day 7
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 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 27:57-61—The Burial of Jesus
57 And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. 59 And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. 60 And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. 61 And there was there Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre.
BURIAL OF JESUS
Gospel of Mark 15:42-47—The Burial of Jesus
42 And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath,) 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 44 But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead. 45 And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre. 47 And Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.
Gospel of Luke 23:50-56—The Burial of Jesus
50 And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and just man, 51 (The same had not consented to their counsel and doings;) of Arimathea, a city of Judea; who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid. 54 And it was the day of the Parasceve, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women that were come with him from Galilee, following after, saw the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And returning, they prepared spices and ointments; and on the sabbath day they rested, according to the commandment.
Gospel of John 19:38:42—Jesus is Buried
38 And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took away the body of Jesus. 39 And Nicodemus also came (he who at the first came to Jesus by night), bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 They took therefore the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now there was in the place where he was crucified a garden: and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man yet had been laid. 42 There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus: because the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Novena Prayer Day 7—Mary Magdalene, witness to the resurrection, is also an eye witness to the empty tomb: she will attest that this is where they put him, and he is no longer there. With the other women, she has just enough time to bring back perfumes and ointments before the beginning of the Sabbath and the silence of the holy Saturday. Nicodemus also brings 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes: an uncommon amount, excessively generous. Christ is placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The stone was rolled and night fell on the world.
Closing Prayer—Lord Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene followed you faithfully from Galilee to the foot of the cross and to the tomb. Help us also to follow you and to remain faithful to the end of our lives. You who reigns for ever and ever, AMEN.
