The Magdalen of the Seraphic Order
February 22: The old feast of St. Margaret of Cortona
I celebrate St. Margaret twice a year; today, the feast day according to the old Franciscan calendar, and also on May 16th. The Church transferred her feast day to May 16th in order to coincide with my birthday, since Margaret and I have lived such parallel lives. (Well, not as far as penance. And I was just kidding as to why the Church moved her feast.)
Sadly, today few believe the Magdalen was the penitent the medievals thought, and at least one modern scholar tends to discredit the ‘revelations’ of St. Margaret as “manipulations” by the priest who recorded them. That author, whom I refuse to link to, puts it this way:
Father Giunta’s manipulation of the voice of Jesus to regale, instruct, and teach Margaret is ingeniously calculated. By appropriating Jesus’ voice, Father Giunta effectively demonstrates his legitimacy as Margaret’s true hagiographer to the audience and more significantly, the divine legitimacy of what he himself deems to be proper female behavior and thought. He essentially projects his own beliefs regarding femininity on the voice of Jesus. - unidentified source
I don’t buy it. Margaret enjoyed a great intimacy with Our Lord and he indeed chose her to demonstrate to sinners that his blood makes sinful souls virginal. He told her:
“Daughter, I will place you among the seraphim, where you will find virgins burning with love.” Astonished, she answered: “Lord, how is this possible, since I am defiled with so many sins?” But Jesus, who had promised through the words of his prophet: “Turn to me and I will receive you,” found her humility and trepidation very pleasing, and said to her: “Daughter, your many sufferings have purged your soul of every impurity. Your contrition and your pains have restored you to virginal purity.” These words troubled Margaret, who asked Christ her teacher: “Lord, did you place MaryMagdalene in the heavenly choir of virgins?” The true Teacher answered: “Except for the Virgin Mary and the martyr Catherine, there is no one greater than the Magdalene.”- Words of Our Lord to St. Margaret of Cortona
St. Margaret of Cortona, pray for us.
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 am
“Except for the Virgin Mary and the martyr Catherine, there is no one greater than the Magdalene.”
LOVE that quote.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:42 am
Her feast was changed? I did not know. I always celebrate her feast today.
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Elena - yes - her traditional feast in the date of her death, Feb. 22, but because of the feast of the Chair of Peter, it was transferred to the 16th of May, which is the date of her canonization. I really should have stated it that way instead of pretending it was for me.