Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
NOT WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE
Ben Sirach states that all, even the just, are affected by sin, and therefore, he sounds a call for penance.
The young man of the Gospel is proud, perhaps a bit pharisaical, to have observed the commandments since his childhood. But Jesus asks more: for the kingdom of God one must be willing to follow Jesus absolutely and give up everything else for it. Jesus’ offer is too demanding for him to be accepted. The young man was not willing to pay the price. Are we always willing to pay it fully?
Reading I: Gn 3:9-15, 20
God called to the Man: “Where are you?”
10 He said, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid.”
11 God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?”
12 The Man said, “The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it.”
God said to the Woman, “What is this that you’ve done?”
13 “The serpent seduced me,” she said, “and I ate.”
14-15 God told the serpent:
“Because you’ve done this, you’re cursed,
cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals,
Cursed to slink on your belly
and eat dirt all your life.
I’m declaring war between you and the Woman,
between your offspring and hers.
He’ll wound your head,
you’ll wound his heel.”
Gospel: Jn 19:25-34
While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus’ mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.
28 Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, “I’m thirsty.”
29-30 A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, “It’s done . . . complete.” Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.
31-34 Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn’t stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.
Prayer
God our Father,
your Son Jesus, looks at us with love
and he asks us to follow him
generously and radically.
But you know how hard it is for us
not to be attached more
to things and people than to you.
Sustain us in our struggles
to be fully free for you and people,
for what is impossible for us
you can do in us through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Reflection:
29 May 2023 Bl. V. Mary, Mother of the Church
John 19: 25-34
I am not leaving you orphans, but give you a mother!
On 3 March 2018, Pope Francis added the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church to the liturgical calendar. We honour Mary as Mother of the Church on the day after Pentecost, reminding us that Mary was present with the disciples on Pentecost. She prayed with the first Christian community, awaiting the gift of the Holy Spirit. And Mary, our dear Mother, continues to pray for us.
This celebration will help us remember that our life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is both “Mother of the Redeemer” and “Mother of the Redeemed.”
The Gospel presents the image of the Blessed Mother witnessing the death of her beloved Son. While standing there, she heard Jesus say, “I thirst.” Before his final breath, Jesus entrusted His mother with the task of being the “Mother of all those who believe in him,” that is, the mother of each member of the Church.
As we celebrate this new memorial within the Church, let us reflect on our relationship with the Cross, our commitment to the Eucharist and our fidelity to our heavenly mother. If we are willing to stand by the Cross, gaze at it with our Blessed Mother, and witness Jesus pour forth His precious blood for the salvation of the world, then we are also privileged to hear Him say to us, “Behold, your mother.” Let us stay close to your heavenly mother. Let us also seek her maternal care and protection and allow her to draw us closer to her Son daily.
Explaining this Gospel passage, Pope Francis said, “In these times in the world, when there is a deep sense of being an orphaned world, today’s Gospel has great importance, as Jesus promises us: ‘I am not leaving you as orphans, I’m giving you a mother.’ And this is also a (source of) pride for us: we have a mother who protects us, accompanies us, and helps us in difficult or terrible times.
The Church is our mother. She is our ‘Holy Mother Church’ who nurtures us. Our Mother Mary and our Mother Church know how to caress their children and show tenderness. To think of the Church without that motherly feeling is to think of the Church as a rigid association without human warmth, an orphan.” (Santa Marta 15 Sept 2015)
I am not leaving you orphans, but give you a mother! – Youtube