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.