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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
Yesterday, we celebrated the great Solemnity of Pentecost,
commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the first
disciples and the birth of the Church. Just as God “breathed” life
into Adam at the creation, so the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God,
gives new life to the Church, the Body of Christ. At Pentecost, the
Blessed Virgin Mary was present, embodying the Gift of Fortitude in
her unwavering trust in God’s plan.
Fortitude, one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthens us to
persevere in doing good, especially amid trials, suffering, or
temptation. It acts as an anchor, holding us steady during life’s
storms and uniting us more deeply to the Mystery of the
Cross.
When this memorial was instituted in 2018, Cardinal Robert Sarah
beautifully reminded us that “the Christian life must be anchored
to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the
Eucharistic Banquet, and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother
of the Redeemed….” Today, we honor her not only as the Mother of
the Redeemer but also as our Mother—the Mother of the Redeemed.
What a profound gift it is to share a spiritual mother with the Son
of God! Through her maternal care and intercession, she leads us to
her Son and strengthens us on our journey of faith.
The Gospel for today’s memorial recalls one of the most sacred
images in the Scriptures—the Blessed Virgin Mary standing at the
foot of the Cross, gazing with perfect faith, hope, and love at her
divine Son. Her fidelity to Him was unwavering. With a motherly
empathy, strengthened by the fullness of grace, she felt His pains
and endured His suffering until the end. Though Jesus embodied
every virtue and spiritual gift, He allowed Himself to receive
strength and consolation from His mother as He hung upon the
Cross.
This act of shared love and mutual consolation—Christ receiving
strength from His mother as she shared in His suffering—invites us
to embrace this same love, allowing our Blessed Mother’s maternal
care to unite us more fully to Christ. When Jesus turned to His
mother and said, “Woman, behold, your son,” and to John, “Behold,
your mother,” He was speaking to each of us, entrusting His mother
to us and us to her. As the Blessed Mother stood by her Son in His
suffering, she also stands by us, teaching us to remain steadfast
in our faith, rooted in Christ’s sacrifice and strengthened by His
Eucharistic presence. God strengthens and consoles us in accord
with His divine plan, which includes the grace dispensed through
the Sacraments—especially the Eucharist—the charitable intercession
of others, the ministry of angels, and the unique motherly
mediation of the Mother of God, our mother.
Reflect today on the many ways God sanctifies and strengthens you
for your mission. Through the Eucharist, we are united to Christ’s
Cross and receive the grace to rise triumphantly with Him. Along
this journey, we are strengthened by the Blessed Mother, the Mother
of the Church and the Mediatrix of grace. As the Spirit filled the
Church at Pentecost, so too does He fill our hearts today, leading
us to Mary, whose love and intercession anchor us to her Son and
His saving grace.
Mother of the Church and Mother of God, the Holy Spirit filled
you with the fullness of grace and perfected every virtue in your
humble soul. Your strength to endure the Cross with your Son
includes a promise that you will always stand by me, showering your
motherly care and mediating the grace of your Son. Please be my
mother now and always, and help me to be a faithful disciple of
your Son, anchored in His Cross and lifted by His grace. Mother of
the Church and Mother of the Redeemed, pray for me. Jesus, I trust
in You.
Image: The crucifixion of Jesus /Christ painting
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