22/07/2026
Did you know that the song IN MY HEART composed by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, and performed by the Bukas Palad Music Ministry is actually the song of Mary Magdalene?
While many of us sing it during Easter, it was written directly from her perspective, capturing her profound joy in encountering the Risen Lord on Easter morning.
1. The Gospel Behind the Song (John 20:11–18)
The lyrics directly mirror the moments outside the empty tomb:
“I can hear Him calling tenderly my name...”
This brings to life the moment Mary stood weeping, mistaking Jesus for the gardener, until He simply called her name “Mary.” In an instant, her grief turned into total recognition and joy.
“For I have seen and touched Him risen / To all the world will I proclaim His majesty...”
This captures her role as the “Apostle to the Apostles” (Apostolorum Apostola), the first witness sent directly by Christ to proclaim the Resurrection to the disciples.
2. A Laundry-Day Inspiration
There is a charming story behind how the song came to be:
Fr. Manoling originally wrote only the refrain and the first two stanzas. When the famed singer Dulce heard it, she suggested adding a third stanza to deepen the narrative.
Not long after, while Fr. Manoling was busy doing his laundry, inspiration struck out of nowhere! The words for that iconic third stanza, drawing deeply from the self-emptying (Kenosis) of Christ in Philippians 2:6–11 came to him right there over the washbasin. I had a cassette tape of Dulce singing the song IN MY HEART "live" with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
3. A Reflection for Her Feast Day today, July 22
Before Mary Magdalene became the first messenger of the Resurrection, she was simply someone who loved Jesus and listened for His voice.
As we sing "In My Heart", we aren't just reciting words, we are stepping into Mary's shoes, remembering that the Risen Savior knows each of us intimately and calls us by name, too.
St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!
ccto: LiturhiyanhongMusika
