Behold, your mother

Greetings on this the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
Readings: Acts 1:12-14; PS 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7; Jn 19:25-34

Summary

This memorial is of recent origin (2018), Pope Francis being the Pope who initiated the memorial to encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful. You can read about it here: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-03/pope-institutes-new-celebration-of-mary–mother-of-church.html

Reflection

Mary gave birth to the head of the Church, Christ, which at the same time, was the beginning of the body of the Church (Mary and Joseph). Mary attended to her son throughout her life. Mary attended to the disciples after Jesus died, Resurrected and Ascended as our sacred Scripture today make very clear. Mary attends to us all, as Jesus told his disciple John “Behold, your mother.” which is an everlasting gift of his own Mother.

Personal Reflection

Behold, your mother. Anyone who reads my posts over time would have no problem identifying my appreciation for my own Mother (d) and for the Blessed Mother (Queen of Heaven). Some struggle with honoraries given Mary. I guess I can understand your resistance or discomfort. But think again. Who, if anyone, should I honor? Time and again my own mother would spend her money and time on opportunities to gather the family, not simply for her own joy, but to engender a mutual love between her children so they might remain in common life beyond her life on earth. She gathered us:

• at family meals
• at milestone events for children and grandchildren
• whenever any sibling came to town, all were invited
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC
• Trips to the city for baseball and football

Mothers wish to reinforce the mutuality of life, the interdependence of personhood and the common good for all. Mothers perform an interlocutor and collocutor moderation for disputes, lost perspectives and they are a warm remedy for cold hearts with clenched fists. And when all else fails and there is nobody who appears to come to our aid, there is Our Mother.

Let us join the Angel Gabriel who Announced, cousin Elizabeth who praised, the Early Fathers who named her ‘Mother of God’, the Church who prays with her and through her. For we must always remember, she was chosen to be the first and eternal revelation of the Christ.

Communion of the Saints is a foundational belief in the Christian faith.

Readings

First Reading

The First Community in Jerusalem.

When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Responsorial

Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!

Gospel Acclamation

O joyful Virgin, who gave birth to the Lord; O blessed Mother of the Church, who nurture in us the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ!

Gospel

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry