Jennifer Ristine interviewed Liz Tabish, the actress who plays Mary Magdalene on The Chosen. Click play on the video below.
Becoming Magdalene: The Transforming Journey of a Disciple
by Jennifer Ristine
- May 11, 2020 A Consecrated Woman’s Magdalene Mission-Regnum Christi
- March 21, 2018 Israeli institute uses Mary Magdalene as inspiration to help women heal
- April 6, 2023 Annual Women’s Encounter of the Magdalena Institute reflect on St. Mary Magdalene the ‘symbol of the bearer of good news’
- July 22, 2018 Interview: What happens when you meet Mary Magdalene in Magdala?
- March 10, 2016 Magdala celebrates International Women´s Day presenting: Middle-eastern women and beyond are changing lives of other through their “feminine genius”
- July 24, 2024 Discovering the Essence of Mary Magdalene
- January 19, 2019 “The Magdala Stone: The Jerusalem Temple Embodied”, Bible History Daily (republished), https://www.
biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ ancient-cultures/ancient- israel/the-magdala-stone/ - Jan 2018 “Who was Mary Magdalene?” http://www.magdala.org/mary-
magdalene/ - July 22, 2017 “An Icon of Hope”, http://www.magdala.org/2017/
07/mary-magdalene-icon-hope/ - July 22, 2016 Why pilgrims are flocking to St Mary Magdalene’s hometown
- June 24, 2016 The Significance of July 22 in Magdala!
- April 4, 2016 RCMC experience in Magdala
- December 2, 2015 Discoveries at Magdala
- June 4, 2015 The Magdala Logo: Meaning and Mystery
- December 3, 2014 Local Students experience Magdala
- November 5, 2014 A Unique Volunteer Experience
- October 21, 2014 Life the Holy Land: A Pilgrim Journey
- September 8, 2014 Triple Blessings
- September 2, 2014 Making a new home in the Holy Land
TESTIMONIALS
“What a remarkable biblical, traditional, and creative exploration of the life of St. Mary Magdalene! I met Jennifer Ristine numerous year ago in Magdala, where she offered my pilgrimage group an inspiring tour of the excavations and prayer spaces of the Magdalene’s chosen city. Jennifer’s years in Magdala, and her journeys to Bethany, Jerusalem, and southern France, have prepared her contemplative heart to produce this imaginative historical novel. I love Mary Magdalene and I devoured this remarkable book. Order it, read it, and fill your imagination with holy, intimate imagery of Jesus and his dear friend and disciple.” – Stephen J. Binz, founder of Threshold Bible Study and author of Holy Land Pilgrimage, at http://www.Bridge-B.com
“I feel like I just met the Magdalene. What a beautiful blending of biblical and pious traditions with profound spiritual and psychological insight, the work not only of good scholarship but even more a true contemplative!” – Dr. Anthony Lilles, St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, Menlo Park, CA, co-founder the Avila Institute of Spiritual Formation
“Jennifer Ristine brings Mary Magdalene to vivid life, revealing the childhood wounds that shaped her into the woman we encounter in the Gospels—and how Jesus transformed her into the model of a female disciple. Weaving biblical scholarship with Ignatian spirituality, Ristine creates an original retreat experience. Following the “apostle of the apostles” through her story, familiar Gospel scenes come alive in startling new ways, while you discover the deeper terrain of your own wounded heart in need of divine mercy. A reading experience that becomes a spiritual journey—where Mary Magdalene’s story of redemption becomes a mirror for your own.” -Dr. Nina Heereman, author of Athirst for the Spirit: Biblical Wisdom for Desert Times
“Jesus Christ is the greatest storyteller of all time. HIStory is the one which matters most. “Becoming the Magdalene” highlights this reality by brilliantly retelling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. Followers of Christ never tire of hearing the words of scripture. Jennifer Ristine is obedient to hierarchical biblical accuracy, as she uses historical facts and recent archaeological findings, with a vibrant imagination, to give spiritual insights on the relationship between Mary Magdalene and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Readers are brought back to the first century where they will visualize the life and times of Jesus as they pore over every word He speaks in the Gospel. Ristine further explores the complexities and difficulties of the first century Apostles. This book invokes one to utter the perfect prayer with their lives. Through Mary Magdalene’s humility, and her title “Apostle to the Apostles”, we give thanks and praise to Our Lord Jesus Christ. We reflect in self-awareness, which leads to repentance and reparation. And finally, we commit our lives to the service of God.” – Mary Driscoll, Script Analyst/Writer
“I loved reading Becoming Magdalene: Historical Fiction. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres because it lets me learn while still getting lost in a story; and Jennifer Ristine does this so well. The history felt alive, and the storytelling pulled me in from the start.” – Fr. Anton Vogelsang, LC, author of Génesis: Crimen, castigo, bendición and El Éxodo: Conversión y regreso a casa
“Becoming Magdalene is a luminous work that blends fidelity to Scripture with imaginative depth. It invites readers into Mary’s journey with Christ, stirring the heart toward deeper faith, love, and discipleship.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi, which is a Society of Apostolic Life in the Catholic Church. She consecrated her life to God in 1997 and has been engaged in faith and spiritual formation primarily through teaching, writing, conferences, retreats and spiritual direction. She has been a contributor for RC Spirituality, epriest, and an instructor for the online Spiritual Director Certificate course at Divine Mercy University in Virginia. She is the author of Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala and Nine Days with Mary Magdalene. She served for 12 years as a teacher of pedagogy, theology and spirituality classes at Mater Ecclesiae College, and served from 2014-2018 as the Director of the Magdalena Institute and the Visitors’ Center Coordinator in Magdala, the ancient hometown of Mary Magdalene, a first century Jewish site and Christian pilgrim center. She has obtained degrees in Special Education from Western Illinois University, Pastoral and Religious studies from Regina Apostolorum in Rome, a Masters degree in Theology from Catholic Distance University in Virginia, a Masters in Ignatian Spirituality from the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain and has studies in the Masters in the Mystics from CITeS and the Catholic University in Avila, Spain.
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