Meditation for Easter Tuesday: Mary Magdalene and the stages of Contemplative Prayer

 A meditation for Easter Tuesday:

(I first wrote this some time ago but thought it might be worth a repost for  today’s Gospel reading of the Risen Christ meeting with St. Mary Magdalene)

St. Mary Magdalene as a model of the stages of Contemplative Prayer:

She is the Apostle to the Apostles and the first public witness to the Resurrection of the Lord. In the tenacity of her faith she is the perfect example of the Christian Contemplative who in standing by the Cross first loses themsleves in the apparent defeat of the inner death of spiritual emptiness but nontheless keeps faith with Christ throughout the experience, until the moment of dawn arrives and with it her moment of renewed calling by name by the Risen One. 

Mary passes through the three stages of the Meditative life in those hours... in sitting by the tomb weeping she has passed through the purgative gate. (The gate of inner conversion) 

In looking into the tomb and beholding the presence of the Angels she has passed through the illuminative gate. (The gate of awareness of the Divine Light) 

Finally by persevering in vigilence until she hears her name called again she enters the gate of unitive love with the Risen Lord and so receives her mission to announce His Resurrection.... 

Let us pray to her that she may intercede for us that we too will persevere in prayer even before the empty tombs of our lives until we hear the Lord call us by name and we are able to answer Rabbouni... 

Master...