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April 23, 2022As the youngest of a family of twelve, I grew up in a very large house. Because of this, when a small child, if ever I became sick in the middle of the night, I had to take a long, dark, creepy trek down a long hallway, through the playroom, down the stairs, past the kitchen and down yet an even longer second hallway to my parents' room to receive the help I needed from them. Braving my fear of the dark, once I arrived there, I would be allowed to climb in their bed. I would spend the rest of the night sleeping cozily between my mother and father so they could keep a watchful eye on me and take care of me.
Why does Jesus choose Mary Magdalene to be the first to see him after his resurrection, she who had been freed by him from seven demons? Perhaps because Mary Magdalene represents every creature who is subject to enslavement to the seven demons, the seven deadly sins. What makes us susceptible to the wiles of those seven demons is fear, most especially our fear of death. The Lord chastises the Eleven for their unbelief and consequent neglect of their duty to "go into the world" proclaiming the gospel and bringing to his children the lifesaving medicine of his seven sacraments.
These are antidotes to the seven deadly sins. Because of their overwhelming grief and fear of death, they mistrust the word of the handpicked witnesses of Jesus, the conqueror of all fears.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for enduring the agonizing death of the cross and most especially for your resurrection from death, the fruits of which are your sacraments. Help your ministers, in particular priests, consecrated religious and deacons to be holy and courageous stewards of those sacraments. Help all of us to be reverent and open recipients of your sacraments. Assist us in renouncing the demons' attempts to frighten and discourage us along the long, dark, creepy hallways of life. By your grace, we may find ourselves resting cozily for all eternity in company of all the saints of Holy Mother Church and in the bosom of Our Heavenly Father.
