Daily Archives: 22 July, 2026

To Love You Like Mary Magdalene. Reflection for marriages. John 20:1-2

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From the Gospel according to John 20:1-2, 11–18
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her.

To Love You Like Mary Magdalene

My dear Lord, I love the three Marys of the Gospel: Your Mother, Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene. How deeply they loved You! Lord, please teach me to love You as they did. I know that if I persevere in prayer and in the sacraments, striving to live every moment in Your presence, You will teach me.

How tender Mary Magdalene was! How she searched for You, how she wept in Your absence! Yet she wept so much that she did not recognise You when You were standing beside her. Lord, how often I cry because, in the midst of my problems, I cannot see anything and it looks like You are not there. Yet You are always by my side. You suffer even more than I do, because Your Heart is infinitely more sensitive than mine. Jesus, help me to trust You completely. You know everything. You can do everything. If You allow things to happen, it is because You will bring about a greater good if I embrace them with You.

Lord, may I take every opportunity to love You more, especially where it hurts. And above all, may I love You in my spouse. May I be like You towards him/her. May I be attentive, quick to go to him/her, to look into his/her heart, to ask how he/she is, to comfort him/her, and to love him/her. Lord, by loving my spouse, I love You.

Applied to Married Life

Dylan: Theresa, during this time of prayer I want to ask your forgiveness for being in such a bad mood. And I especially want to thank you for not getting angry with me, but for welcoming me as you did. It’s wonderful to see how much you’ve changed and how you help me through my difficult moments.

Theresa: Dylan , I love you very much. It’s God’s love that makes this possible, not me. Before, I simply couldn’t do it. My pride got in the way, and I felt it was unfair for you to react like that. Now I live it with Jesus. I know I am so loved and so forgiven that all I want is to love as He loves. And those difficult moments are the perfect opportunities to do so. So thank you very much!

Dylan:(Laughing) Well then, maybe I’ll grumble more often so you have even more opportunities! Just kidding! Please help me grow further along this path. I want to love the Lord much more, so that I can love you much more too, because you deserve everything. How do I do that?

Theresa: Starting today, let’s persevere more faithfully in prayer. That’s where we discover God’s love, and where Jesus shows us what prevents us from loving as He does, our self-love. And let’s make the most of the summer by going to Mass together every day. Aware that, filled with Christ in the Eucharist, we will be able to give ourselves as He does. And let’s encourage one another to see every difficult situation as an opportunity to learn how to love. What do you think?

Dylan: Let’s do it! Thank You, Lord!

Mother,

Please teach me to love Your Son as You love Him. Help me to receive His infinite love so that I may love as He loves.

Blessed and praised be God!