Today, we celebrate Saint Mary Magdalene, who is often described as the patron of Hair Stylists and Perfumers. Wonderful patronages, to be sure, but we dug a bit deeper while studying Saint Mary Magdalene.
Many say Saint Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’ “BFF’s'' his “Bae.” BFF is the modern-day initialism (a new word we just discovered) for “Best Friend Forever;” whereas Bae is an acronym meaning the friend who comes “Before Anyone Else.”
Saint Mary Magdalene’s biography has been reshaped and altered over the years. At one point in time, she was called a prostitute. And at others, she was just disregarded as mentally ill. Perhaps she was chronically depressed, manic, bipolar, and simply lost in despair and without 21st Century medication.
We like the way Terry Jones at CatholicSaints.info wrote while pondering Saint Mary Magdalene:
“Oh, some things we do know for certain – Mary wasn’t Jesus’ wife or mistress, she wasn’t the mother of His child, she didn’t found a royal dynasty or separate branch of Christianity, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseam.”
In most appraisals about her, she is said to be the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair, while He was dying on the cross. Before that happened, though, Jesus faithfully stayed with her and He exorcized 7 demons from her soul.
Can you imagine a friend who could shoulder, alter, and take away 7 of your innermost dark thoughts and fears? One who is always there “in times of trouble, hours of darkness, bouts of broken heartedness, and enduring those dark and cloudy days with you? Mary was always there for Jesus and she stuck with Him until the bitter end. Is it any wonder Saint Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ Best Friend Forever (BFF) and always there for him, Before Anyone Else (BAE).
Tell your “BAE ” about Saint Mary Magdalene today.
