Saint Spotlight: Role Models of Faith

When we picture Jesus’ disciples in our minds, we generally see young men encircling our Lord. However, one of Jesus’ most faithful followers was Mary Magdalene. The Diocese of Orlando recognizes the importance of Mary Magdalene as a model of faith, and its students in Polk County Catholic schools are familiar with St. Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene’s Biblical entrance was as a woman “…possessed by seven demons” (Luke 8:2). These demons caused Mary to be a great sinner, and Jesus was able to remove the fullness of Satan from her and replace it with the fullness of faith. When she was released from the demons, Mary Magdalene became a disciple of Jesus, a title that was not accepted by religious leaders before then, simply because all disciples before her were male. Jesus claimed her as His disciple and accepted her accompaniment, fully accepting her as His own. Her first role as a disciple was to convince several women who knew her to also follow Jesus.  Mary Magdalene’s faith in Jesus began as soon as she was released from demons and continued throughout her life. She is mentioned no less than 12 times in the Gospels of the Bible, and appears late in Jesus’ ministry. Her faith led her to be present at the foot of Jesus’ cross with Mary. In fact, Mary Magdalene was present throughout Jesus’ passion, death, and burial as she comforted Mary and prayed for Jesus.  Jesus was placed in a new burial tomb with guards stationed at the opening to prevent any unusual occurrences. When He rose on the third day, His first witness was Mary Magdalene as she approached the tomb to care for the body of Jesus. Upon seeing the empty tomb, Jesus approached her and tasked her with telling the other disciples of His rising. He understood Mary Magdalene’s faith in Him, in His rising, and knew she would use the correct words to explain to the disciples waiting in the upper room that Jesus had risen!The faith Mary Magdalene possessed after Jesus drove out her demons never faltered. She was steadfast in her belief as she walked with Jesus through His life, death, and resurrection. Strengthen your child’s faith by enrolling him or her in one of the Diocese of Orlando’s Polk County Catholic schools. Contact the Diocese at 407-246-4800, and read our blogs to learn about the role of faith in Catholic education.