(St. Mary Magdalen and her sister St. Martha implore Our Lord's mercy for their brother, in a stained-glass window in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.)

Yesterday was the feast of St. Mary Magdalen. I just can't let this special saint's day go by without reflecting on one of the many lessons of her life. Imagine, a great and notorious sinner, called to be a great saint! May she inspire me to become the saint that God wants me to be!

"St. Mary Magdalen's life teaches the hopeful and encouraging lesson that even great sinners may become great saints. It answers many very anxious questions that the repentant and troubled sinner who has fallen into many and great sins must be troubled with....Is it not His dearest wish that where sin did abound, the grace of God should abound the more? Did He not purposely come to seek and save the lost? Did He see nothing good in these lost ones, that would, if He took compassion on them, bring praise and thanksgiving and glory to His Father? Surely oftentimes when grace and sorrow have cleansed away all badness and sin and crime, we come across beautiful characters, great and noble hearts -- great sorrow -- great generosity, and the deepest and truest love of God."

~ Fr. Pius Cavanagh, O.P. Gleanings for Saints and Sinners about St. Mary Magdalen, 1888.