July 22, 2026 // Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Reflect on the Word // 

I stumbled out of bed, groggy and tired. I am not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. Mornings are difficult because of my Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. I would not have been the first to the tomb on Easter morning, and sunrise workouts are safely off my list of spiritual practices. So I deeply admire Saint Mary Magdalene, who ran before sunrise, heart pounding, grief raw, searching for a tomb that seemed empty and impossible (John 20:1‑2). She did not tiptoe. She did not hesitate. She ran.

Mary stayed outside the empty tomb weeping, desperate for answers that were out of sight (see (John 20:11). I understand her. I have felt that panic when everything you love feels gone. Then the angels asked the simple question that shakes everything: “Woman, why are you weeping?” (John 20:13) Truth lands. Sometimes God does not rush to fix things. Sometimes He simply waits for us to see what we have been missing.

And then “Mary!” (John 20:16) One word, full of intimacy, and her heart explodes with recognition. That is the Resurrection moment. The Lord is alive. Right there. Not somewhere far away. Not in some abstract hope. Jesus is alive and calling her name.

“I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18). Mary does not whisper. She proclaims. Her words are a declaration of a reality that transforms her fear. We can do the same. We see Him in quiet mornings, in laughter, in tears, in acts of mercy. We see Him when grief gives way to joy.

We are women navigating loss, longing, our own weaknesses, and the ordinary chaos of life. We can share in Mary Magdalene’s wonder. We can share in her courage. One day, there may be a moment when Jesus calls our name and everything changes. When He does, may we proclaim with unshakable confidence: “I have seen the Lord.”

Relate to the Lord // When have you heard the Lord call you by name? Share that experience with a friend.