Daily Readings for July 22, 2017

Memorial of Mary Magdalene, disciple of the Lord

1ST READING

Four hundred and thirty years is a long time to stay away from home. The Egyptians were sad to lose the labor provided by the Israelites. It was time for the Israelites to return to the land given to their ancestors. The journey will be long and difficult, but their relationship with God will be restored in another 150 years under King David. We may not realize it, but God prepared a people to receive the Messiah for about 2,000 years.

Exodus 12:37-42 (or Song of Songs 3:1-4)

37 The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the little ones. 38 A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them, besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds. 39 Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened, they baked it into unleavened loaves. They had been rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity even to prepare food for the journey. 40 The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the Lord left the land of Egypt on this very date. 42 This was a night of vigil for the Lord, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations.

P S A L M

Psalm 136:1, 23-24, 10-12, 13-15 (or Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9)

R: His mercy endures forever.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; 23 Who remembered us in our abjection, for his mercy endures forever; 24 And freed us from our foes, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 10 Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born, for his mercy endures forever; 11 and brought out Israel from their midst, for his mercy endures forever; 12 with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 13 Who split the Red Sea in twain, for his mercy endures forever; 14 And led Israel through its midst, for his mercy endures forever; 15 But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endures forever. (R)

GOSPEL

Today is the Feast of Mary Magdalene, one of the first, if not the first, to see the Risen Lord. It is somewhat appropriate that such a great sinner was given this privilege. But then, this is hardly unusual with Jesus who often turns our expectations upside down with His mercy and love. Pope Francis does the same — refusing dinners with politicians and the wealthy, and choosing to eat with those in the homeless shelters and streets. This is the kind of Church that we are supposed to develop.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

John 20:1-2, 11-18 (or Matthew 12:14-21)

1 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 11 Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her.