FranciscanMedia.org | Sunday Soundbites | 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday Soundbites

Sunday Soundbites is a weekly, 90-second radio homily based on the Sunday readings, written and read by Fr. Greg Friedman, O.F.M. Sunday Soundbites is also heard on Catholic radio stations around the country.

Program for Sunday, June 16, 2013
(11th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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Transcript

This is Franciscan Father Greg Friedman with the Sunday Soundbite for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Mary Magdalene is one of the New Testament’s most interesting characters—as well as someone whose reputation has been tainted by mistaken identity. Today’s Gospel story is a good place to begin correcting that misinformation.

From Luke’s Gospel, we hear a story of a dramatic banquet at a Pharisee’s house. There, a woman of sinful reputation enters and performs the gesture of bathing Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair and anointing them with ointment. When the host is scandalized, Jesus uses the incident to remark about the woman’s great love, and then goes on to forgive her.

Later in the same Gospel passage, we hear that as Jesus journeys about preaching Good News, his company included some “women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,” including “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” It’s clear from the text that the two women in the story are different individuals.

Mary Magdalene is portrayed in today’s account as a follower of Christ—one who was in his company of believers, and who—in John’s resurrection story--was an eyewitness to Jesus risen, and a messenger of that wonderful Good News to the apostles. Mary’s role is one of Christian service and witness—a role we can do well to imitate.

I’m Father Greg Friedman, with the Sunday Soundbite for St. Anthony Messenger Press, on the web at FranciscanRadio.org.

Meet Father Greg Friedman

Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M., is creative director with the Media Production Team at Franciscan Media. He also hosts American Catholic Radio each week, and produces videos for www.AmericanCatholic.org, including the "Two-Minute Take." Father Greg wrote and directed Assisi Pilgrimage: Walking in Faith with Francis and Clare, which appeared on ABC-TV stations nationwide. He also produced the popular faith-formation series Catholic Update Video, used in parishes around the U.S. He currently serves as pastor of St. Francis Seraph Parish, located in the inner-city neighborhood of "Over-the-Rhine" in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can contact him at letters@franciscanradio.org.

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