My very dear Magdala Family,

I begin writing this message from our “bunker” in Magdala on Good Friday afternoon. Several alarms have gone off, and we are here taking shelter for safety.

Despite everything, we have just celebrated the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts remain filled with Christian hope. The waves of history have not been able to destroy the greatest certainty of our faith: Christ was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again for our salvation.

In the midst of these circumstances, I would like, first of all, to thank you. We have seen a very generous response to the “Refuge of Peace” campaign. Over 430 friends, brothers, and sisters have joined, “drop by drop,” in this shared effort. Monthly donations, even small ones, allow us to sustain this work with hope and to look toward the future with confidence, even in uncertain times. Thank you for your closeness, faith, and your affection. We value it deeply and ask God to reward you here on earth and, one day, in heaven.

I regret that this message reaches you shortly after Easter, but I hope it still carries the full joy of the Resurrection. In our hearts resounds the cry of Mary Magdalene, our beloved patron: “I have seen the Lord!” This is a fact. She is a witness. There is no turning back in history. Jesus chose to appear to Mary Magdalene. Some may say that the testimony of women had no legal value at that time, but who cares about legal value? What matters to us is the true value: Jesus rose from the dead, encountered Mary Magdalene, and sent her to proclaim it.

This year, we had planned to celebrate the Feast of Mary Magdalene here in Magdala (on the first Saturday of Easter) with Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Bishop of Nazareth. However, given the current security situation, we have had to postpone it. This is not a time for outward celebrations in the Holy Land; instead, we celebrate in our hearts.

We celebrate our patron: a courageous and generous leader who followed Jesus and overcame the wounds of her past because He had healed her completely and forever.

From this, something very significant emerges for us. Mary Magdalene was not only a witness to the Resurrection; she was also sent. What she had seen, she could not keep to herself.

For this reason, I would like to focus today on one of the essential aspects of the Magdala Family: apostolate. Mary Magdalene has rightly been called the “apostle to the apostles.” I would even dare say she is a unique apostle.

This has very concrete implications for us. The members of the Magdala Family, as our definition states, “commit themselves to collaborate in the extension of the Kingdom of God.” We do not do this as “lone rangers,” but as a family, as a community—each one from his or her own reality.

Today, perhaps more than ever, this apostolate calls us to remain united: united in faith, in hope, and in prayer—each one serving according to our possibilities and where God calls us in a real and concrete way.

For this reason, I would like to invite each one of you, personally, to ask yourselves simply, in the presence of God: If He has touched my life, if He has healed me in some way, what is He asking of me? How can I help others? Sometimes it will be something very small, but when it is done out of love for Jesus Christ, it is never insignificant.

This also applies to the “Touching His Cloak” groups. May prayer also give rise to action, even in a modest way. It is enough to lift our gaze to realize that opportunities to do good are everywhere. And when that good is done together, it multiplies strength, commitment, and joy.

Some may also feel called to become more directly involved with Magdala, offering their time or talents. Today, many of these forms of collaboration can be carried out remotely, accompanying this mission from your own homes. And when circumstances allow, we hope to welcome you once again here in the Holy Land so that you may experience this more closely.

May Mary Magdalene, witness of the Resurrection, teach us to live with that same certainty: Christ lives and I have seen Him. And may we, wherever we are, proclaim it with our lives.

With much affection and prayers for each one of you,

Fr. Juan María Solana, LC

If you feel called to get involved in Magdala’s volunteer program, click here