While the latter might be considered Venial sin - "slight offense" - it is serious sins - mortal sins - that offend God and keep us from the salvific refuge of sanctifying grace. For the catechumens who have been preparing during Lent, it will be their Baptism on Easter. For the Baptized, it is only through the infirmary of divine Mercy - worthily with a fervent amendment in participating in the Sacrament of Penance in the Confessional - that we can shed the shackles of sins. It was to Saint Mary Magdalene to whom our Lord said, "Go, and now sin no more" (St. John 8: 11).

    St. Mary, the former harlot, who had seven devils in her, has become the ideal role model for each and every one of us, for she turned her back on her former life, shedding her lascivious ways and apparel and put on the cloak of humility, even to draw the ire of the rich and, quite possibly, her former clients. There is only one Person Who has her full and undivided attention, and that is Jesus. There have been many scurrilous accounts - most notably in the spurious The DaVinci Code - of an affair between our Lord and the Magdalen and that is blasphemous. Christ loved Mary with a brotherly, agape love, just as He loved His disciples, just as He loves us.

    The venerable Benedictine Abbot Dom Prosper Gueranger writes a beautiful account of today's Gospel in the Sixth volume of his fifteen-volume The Liturgical Year:

    "Magdalene had led a wicked life: as the Gospel tells us elsewhere (St. Mark 16: 9), seven devils had taken up their abode with her. But, no sooner has she seen and heard Jesus, then immediately she is filled with a horror for sin; divine love is enkindled within her heart; she has but one desire: to make amends for her past life. Her sins have been public; her conversion must so too. She has lived in vanity and luxury; she is resolved to give all up. Her perfumes are all to be for her God, her Jesus; that hair of hers, of which she has been so proud, shall serve to wipe His sacred feet; her eyes shall henceforth spend themselves in shedding tears of contrite love. The grace of the Holy Ghost urges her to go to Jesus. He is in the house of a pharisee, who is giving an entertainment. To go to Him now would be exposing herself to observation. She cares not. Taking with her an ointment of great worth, she makes her way in to the feast, throws herself at Jesus' feet, washes them with her tears, wipes them with the hair of her head, kisses them, anoints them with the ointment. Jesus Himself tells us with what interior sentiments she accompanies these outward acts of respect: but even had He not spoken, her tears, her generosity, her position at His feet, tell us enough; she is heart-broken, she is grateful, she is humble: who but a pharisee could have mistaken her?"

    Here this former prostitute, known by so many who wouldn't admit it are shocked that she has crashed the party so to speak. Imagine their horror for she knows their sin as well. Will she tell all? That has to be going through the minds of these pharisees in attendance for they fear exposure. Little do they realize that by their very actions they have exposed themselves only too well, and little do they realize that Jesus can read their hearts. That is why He has so much pity and love for Mary, and rebukes those who object to her actions. We are all sinners, no exceptions, but if we try to hide our sin, it will come out. In the process of trying to hide our sins, we commit so many more because we are governed not by our conscience to obey God and be totally honest with Him, but because we fear what man will think. We place man's opinion higher than God and in that very state we are committing another sin just as the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 1: 10, "Or do I seek to please men? If I did yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ." If you are honest with God, you will be honest with yourself and have no fear whatsoever of man or the opinions of men. It doesn't amount to a hill of beans as Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca. He of course was speaking in secular terms, we speak in heavenly terms. That is why St. Mary Magdalene's actions were so pleasing to God, and such an aversion to mammon. The Abbot adds further insight on this:

   "The pharisee, then is shocked! His heart has within it much of that Jewish pride which is soon to crucify the Messias. He looks disdainfully at Magdalene; he is disappointed with his Guest, and murmers out his conclusion: This man, if He were a Prophet would surely know who and what manner of woman this is! Poor pharisee! If he had the spirit of God within him, he would recognize Jesus to be the promised Savior, by this wonderful condescension shown to a penitent. With all his reputation as a pharissee, how contemptible he is compared with this woman! Jesus would give him a useful lesson, and draws the parallel between the two - Magdalene and the pharisee. He passes His Own divine judgment on them, and the preference is given to Magdalene. What is it that has thus transformed her, and made her deserve, not only the pardon, but the praise, of Jesus? Her love: She hath loved her Redeemer, she hath loved Him much; and, therefore, she was forgiven much. A few hours ago this Magdalene loved but the world and its pleasures; now, she cares for nothing, sees nothing, loves nothing, but Jesus; she is a convert. Henceforward she keeps close to her divine Master; she is ambitious to supply His wants; but, above all, she longs to see and hear Him. When the hour of trial shall come, and His very apostles dare not be with Him, she will follow Him to Calvary, stand at the foot of the cross, and see Him die Who had made her live. What an argument for hope is here, even for the worst of sinners! He to whom most is forgiven, is often the most fervent in love! You, then, whose souls are burdened with sins, think of your sins and confess them; but, most of all, think how you most love. Let your love be in proportion to your pardon, and doubt it not: Your sins shall be forgiven."

    We, who are sinners, who have sinned, have this failsafe method to "get out of jail" so to speak by prostrating our heart and soul before Christ and, in the same humble manner of the courageous, unafraid Magdalene, wash our sins away in our tears and sincerity of heart in the refreshing, cleansing Sacrament of Penance. Whether saint or sinner, everyone is in need of this vital Sacrament. No exceptions. If we think sin isn't that devastating, which so many today are falsely led to believe in the conciliar church and secular society, let us listen to Dom Gueranger's sobering words:

"This spectacle of a whole people bearing on itself the curse of God for having crucified the Son of God, should make a Christian tremble for himself. It teaches him that divine justice is terrible, and that the Father demands an account of the Blood of His Son, even to the last drop, from those that shed it. Let us lose no time, but go at once, and, in this precious Blood, cleanse ourselves from the share we have had in the sin of the Jews; and, throwing off the chains of iniquity, let us imitate those among them whom we see, from time to time, separating themselves from their people and returning to the Messias: let us, also, be converts, and turn to that Jesus, whose hands are stretched out on the cross, ever ready to receive the humble penitent."

    If we open our arms wide to our neighbor to forgive him, how much more will Christ forgive us? Let us remember the words of the Act of Charity all say every morning: "O my God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all good and deserving of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee. I forgive all those who have injured me, and I beg pardon for all those for whom I have injured." For all we who have sinned, forgiveness and repentance in the Sacrament of Penance is the sole formula for soul success!