Mary Magdalene at the Cross

"Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala."

(John 19:25)

Twenty-two years ago, I spent much of July at Children's Hospital.

My husband, Tim, and I had a newborn daughter home from another hospital for just a day, when we noticed her arm and leg twitching on one side of her body -- a seizure, it turned out.

We took her to Children's and learned she'd had bleeding in her brain -- likely from her delivery a few days earlier -- and the blood had clotted and was blocking spinal fluid in her brain and creating pressure there.

My parents met us at the hospital that evening. After learning the diagnosis but before returning home exhausted and without our baby, I remember my mother saying:  "I hate to tell you this, but welcome to parenthood."

Tim and I had a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old at home with their other grandmother, so we weren't completely new to parenting. But my mom knew all parents eventually face moments like these.

Looking back, I realize those times aren't reserved for parents alone. All love eventually takes us to the cross. Sooner or later our beloved ones will suffer, and we will be there with them.

Our daughter, Mary Therese, received three sacraments during her hospital stay: baptism, anointing of the sick and confirmation. Unlike most people who are confirmed, she wasn't able to choose her confirmation name. Tim and I made a quick choice, a well-known saint whom the church remembers every July: Mary Magdalene.

Now, more than ever, that choice seems appropriate. St. Mary Magdalene knew how to love, and she was faithful in that love even at the cross and the tomb.

Jesus rewarded her by showing her the glory of the Resurrection, as one of the first people to see Him on Easter and as one of our great saints.

A lot of time has passed since our daughter's birth, and now we probably take her good health for granted. During that early hospitalization one doctor told us: "She might be able to walk, but she'll never be a track athlete." (So of course I enjoyed a particular satisfaction when Mary was on St. Columbkille's track team while in school there.☺

Our family has so much to celebrate in remembering Mary's birth.

Jesus showed us the love of the cross -- and the glory of new life.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.