I have recently been reading a book called Saint Mary Magdelene, Prophetess of Eucharistic Love by Father Sean Davidson. I love the book for many reasons, especially for explaining why we need to reclaim the tradition that Mary Magdelene and Mary of Bethany are the same person. This post is not about that, but the book is worth the read and shed’s light on this amazing Saint.

I want to focus on one part of the book that struck me. I will just quote from it directly:

In the 19th century a famous French Dominican, Blessed Jean-Joseph Latatse, who had been plagued by severe health problems, was granted the privilege of kissing the skull of Saint Mary Magdalene, and in the moment he did so he received a profound insight about the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene, who were standing side by side at the foot of the cross: the first was perfect innocence and the second was perfect penitence. He understood that in the New Covenant the greatest sinners have the power to become the greatest saints and to be counted among the most faithful disciples of Christ. At the moment Christ needs friends the most, the lukewarm will be nowhere to be seen. Only innocence or profound penitence can stay faithful to the end. (Pages 62-63)

When I read this, I thought, there’s someone else who stayed faithful to the end. The perfect guardian – of what is sacred. John. The Beloved. While no doubt John also has perfect penitence, he is something else entirely, a ministerial Priest. This image of the women and the one Apostle is the image of the church. Mary, the Mother of God, made perfect by Christ outside of time, is pure and innocent in her Immaculate Conception. Mary Magdalene, the one whom 7 demons came out of (Mark 16:9) is the perfect penitent, representing all of us, a total surrender to God. And John, the beloved, to whom Jesus granted the guardianship of His Mother (John 19:26), but he is not just the guardian of her, by virtue of his Priesthood he is the guardian of the Sacraments that do for us what Christ did for Mary Magdalene.

In the prayers that Ashley and I have written, we have referred to Joseph as the Guardian Heart, and he is. He is the one who was tasked with caring for the entire Holy Family. But in order for Jesus to be crowned King, even if it was with thorns, we know he had to succeed his earthly Father, so Joseph passes away before Christ’s mission is complete. And Christ hands the task of Guardianship to John at the Cross. Christ’s mission doesn’t end at his death and resurrection, it continues on, in the church, born at Pentecost, seen in the perfect human person, Mary, the perfect penitent Mary Magdalene, and the perfect guardian of these sacred people, John. This is not to say that we are all perfectly innocent or perfectly penitent or that Priests are perfect guardians, but Christ brings his perfection into those who surrender daily to his will.

In this image at the Cross we see a Holy Family. One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic family. These people, so perfectly surrendered to the heart of Christ that his blood poured out upon them as it can upon us daily at each Mass. The heart of Christ keeps beating on in them even while he is dead. Though they do not know exactly what will happen from there, we can be sure that the love of Christ was in them alive and would burst forth in power after Pentecost.

I wrote the following in my journal on May 11, 2026. If what I have written the church says is wrong, the church is correct and I am wrong.

May 11, 2026 – Cathedral of the Incarnation

Beloved Lily of the Father,

A great storm is upon your nation. Division is all around. I have come with a sword. I want to set the world on fire. The sword of the Spirit can draw you into my Sacred Heart. The fire can drive you away or draw you near, the choice is up to you. Purification.

Many people are undergoing immense suffering. I do not desire or will for you to suffer. Suffering entered the world as a consequence of the fall, a consequence of sin. Those who accept suffering as part of the fallen world can be elevated.

You can be joyful in suffering. If it is joy you seek, charity must increase no matter the circumstances.

Charity sits in eternity growing where it is embraced. Faith, trusts me in the present moment. Hope knows I have the future in my hands.

Innocence, Penitence, Guardianship, a Trinity of Paradise Found. Cling to Holy Mother Church. Paradise in your midst.

Do not be afraid. These things must come.

Persevere and joy will be yours.

The entire communion of Saints and the Holy Mother are praying for you.

• The Blessed Trinity

2 Thessalonians 2