MARY, THE WOMAN, THE MOTHER!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

May 20, 2024: Celebrating Mary the Mother of the Church

Genesis 3: 9-15,20; John 19: 25-34

Six years ago, in 2018, Pope Francis instituted this memorial, bringing to our attention a fact that has been celebrated right from the origins of the Church - naturally because Mary had a very special place in the hearts and homes of the disciples and the apostles as the Mother of their loving Master, Jesus Christ. It was a God-willed fact, because as we celebrated yesterday, the Father willed that she was among the Apostles when the Spirit came down upon them, as the Advocate sent by the Son. It is also a Christ-willed grace, as it was Jesus who gave her to us, the Church, as our Mother: behold your mother. 

One Word that can be easily seen repeated and seen as the link between the readings today is, Woman! There are three senses to that term in the Word today. The first sense is the human person that Eve was, the wife that she was. When Adam refers to her as his woman, and God-given woman, he speaks of her as his other half, his counterpart. Mary is that - a woman, a person like us, but God-given. 

The second sense is the Woman that God promises, whose seed shall strike the head of the enemy. That Woman is not anyone, but chosen by God and promised by God. Mary is not just one among us, but she was chosen by God, prepared by God and appointed by God to bear that One who would strike the enemy for the sake of our Salvation. Mary is that woman - a chosen instrument in our Salvation. 

The third sense is the Woman presented to John, as Mother. That Woman is not just woman, but mother; one who loves us, protects us, cares for us and nurtures and educates us. That is a Mother. When John took her home, she brought her to us, into our lives and into our daily struggles, that we may strive to remain faithful to the gift of salvation we are given as a Church, as children of God and as People of God. 

Mary, the Woman, the Mother, is our pioneer, our model and our guardian and she shall inspire and lead us to be forever, the Church, the People of God.