2 “Marys” (among others) singularly different are present in the life of Christ.
One who kept her virginity until her marriage and thus found herself fulfilling an essential condition to be the one through whom Christ would come to Earth.
The other who, after leading a life of prostitution, recognized in Christ the One who had the power to forgive and transform her. Also, the story of her repentance is told wherever Christ is preached. (Matthew 26:13; Mark 14:9).
Overall 2 types of people are saved today regarding different aspects of life. Those who were sexually active before marriage and those who were not, those who were highwaymen and those who never stole (or almost); those who were murderers and those who never hurt,...
One truth, however, must never escape us, and that is that before we were born, God had our salvation in mind. Thus he made sure that we never found ourselves in situations that would permanently compromise our Salvation or the trajectory He has for us.
So ...
Mary, the future wife of Joseph, who became the mother of Jesus, had to stay a virgin until her marriage otherwise it would compromise God's plans for her life. She could therefore never regret later, when hearing the “spectacular” testimony of a “Mary of Magdala”, that she too did not have a testimony that caused a “sensation”. My brother, my sister, stop being frustrated because when you give “your” testimony, people do not rejoice as they would rejoice at the return of a prodigal son. Do not regret not having experienced prostitution, not having practiced serious crime or even witchcraft. It is an immense grace with which God has blessed you. And it is certainly a divine imperative for God's purposes for you. Among other possible reasons:
- Some of the Lord's sheep can only hear encouragement from people who also preserved themselves; let us not forget that we all only accept the consolation of Christ in certain situations because we know that He Himself experienced similar trials (Hebrews 4:14-15; 5:7-8)
- There are trials that must be braved today by those who have known a certain life before coming to Christ. God could in his sovereignty decide to spare some of his people from a past that would be impossible for them to bear after their conversion (1 Corinthians 10:13). It is not only at our conversion that God decides not to allow us to be tested beyond our abilities; our life, before as well as after our conversion, takes this fact into account. We serve a God who knows us from the womb and who while we were still unformed already had plans for our lives.
On the other hand, Mary Magdalene, although having experienced prostitution, was not discouraged, she believed as a “prodigal son” that the Father loved her enough to forgive her despite her numerous and serious crimes. And coming to Christ, humbling herself at his feet, she received forgiveness for her many sins, she became a new creature and her example of faith and devotion is today given as an example wherever one preaches Christ. My brother, my sister, certainly there is nothing to rejoice about these crimes committed in the past. (This is not said to rub salt in the wound, but rather it is for the benefit of those who would pride themselves on having been "great" sorcerers, or prostitutes, .... for if they understood the new birth, they would rather speak of outrageous, abominable sorcerers, or prostitutes, ...). However, God made sure that these crimes would not absolutely prevent your salvation or his plans for you. Remember that in reality we are all sinners, that God's ways for our lives are different, but the same thing is that all require repentance in Christ. So once you repent, be strengthened like Mary Magdalene. And know that through the “brutal” and complete transformation of your life, you are a living testimony to the omnipotence of God, but also to the depth of his Love. This will allow you to move forward serenely in your communion with God having an excellent knowledge of His aforementioned qualities. It is also an opportunity not to rejoice in one's past, but to encourage, using one's own testimony, those who no longer believe that God can or still wants to save them. However, the weapon of prayer must never be neglected because ultimately only the Grace of God reaches hearts (whether it is conveyed through a testimony or any other means).
“Mary, mother of James” or “Mary of Magdala”, my brother, my sister no longer thinks that God should have done everything possible for you to have a past like the other “Mary”. Work on what God expects of you from now on. Give thanks to him for the aspects where he preserved you even before your conversion, but also for the aspects where he forgave you and transformed you following your conversion. Be a faithful disciple of Christ today. But also a subject of encouragement for those who think that it is difficult to persevere on the right path, or that it is impossible to turn away from the wrong path.
Together let us all joyfully follow Christ, without comparing ourselves to one another (neither to envy them nor to despise them). Let each person measure himself only by himself, evaluating Christ's expectations of him, his child, in order to continually gain in maturity.
To God and to his Christ Jesus, be the Glory from eternity to eternity
Amen!!!
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