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. John 19:25–27
The memorial we celebrate today, which was added to the Roman
Liturgical Calendar in 2018 by Pope Francis, highlights the truth
that the Blessed Virgin Mary is not only the Mother of the Person
of Christ, and, therefore, the Mother of God, she is also the
Mother of the Church, that is, the Mother of all the faithful. The
Blessed Virgin Mary is your mother. And as your mother, she is
truly tender, compassionate, caring and merciful, bestowing upon
you everything that a perfect mother desires to bestow. She is the
fiercest of mothers who will stop at nothing to protect her
children. She is a mother wholly devoted to you, her dear
child.
The Gospel passage chosen for this memorial depicts our Blessed
Mother standing at the foot of the Cross. She would have been no
other place than directly beneath her Son as He endured His last
agony. She did not flee in fear. She was not overwhelmed by grief.
She did not sulk in self-pity. No, she stood by her Son with the
perfect love and strength of a devoted, caring, compassionate and
faithful mother.
As she stood by her Son in His hour of suffering and death, Jesus
turned to her and entrusted the Apostle John to her maternal care.
From the early Church Fathers until the most recent teachings of
the Church today, this act of entrusting John to Mary and Mary to
John by Jesus has been understood as an entrustment of all the
faithful to the maternal care of Mother Mary. Mother Mary is,
therefore, not only the Mother of the Redeemer, Christ Himself, she
also becomes the Mother of all the redeemed, the mother of us all,
the Mother of the Church.
Consider the spiritual mother you have in Heaven. A mother is one
who gives life. Your mother in Heaven is entrusted with the task of
bestowing upon you the new life of grace won by the Cross. And as
your mother, she will not withhold anything from you that is to
your benefit. A mother is also one who is tender with her children.
The Immaculate Heart of our mother in Heaven is one that is filled
with the greatest tenderness toward you. Though her caresses are
not physical, they are much deeper. She caresses with the
tenderness of grace which she imparts to you as you pray and turn
to her in your need. She gives you the grace of her Son, poured out
upon the Cross as the blood and water sprung forth as a font of
mercy. Mother Mary pours that mercy upon you as a tender and
devoted mother would. She holds nothing back.
If you are unaware of the love in the heart of our Blessed Mother
for you, use this memorial as an opportunity to deepen your
understanding of her role in your life. Many children take their
mothers for granted, not fully understanding the depth of their
love. So it is with our Mother in Heaven. We will never fully
comprehend her love and her constant motherly workings in our life
until we join her in Heaven face to face.
Reflect, today, upon Mother Mary standing by you in every moment of
your life. See her there in your joys and in your sorrows, during
your moments of temptation and struggles, in your moments of
confusion and clarity. See her there by your side, bestowing every
good spiritual gift upon you when you need it the most. She is a
true mother, and she is worthy of your love and gratitude.
My dearest Mother, you stood by your Son with unwavering
fidelity and love. You cared for Him, nurtured Him and never left
His side. I also am your dear child. I thank you for your loving
fidelity toward me and open my heart to the grace of your Son that
you bestow upon me throughout life. Help me to be more attentive to
your motherly care and to daily grow in gratitude for your presence
in my life. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured images above: The Crucifixion By Lucas Cranach the
Elder, via Wikimedia Commons
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