HOMILY OF MONDAY AFTER PENTECOST — YEAR A

HOMILY OF MONDAY AFTER PENTECOST — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

BY: Fr. Mike Lagrimas 

John 19:25‐34

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.

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Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. This is a very new feast in the liturgical calendar. In a decree signed on February 11, 2018, Pope Francis instituted this Memorial to be celebrated every year on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday. Although a newly instituted feast, this is not without historical and solid doctrinal backing.

Since the beginning of Christianity, Mary has been honored by the Church with various titles, such as ‘Mother of Disciples’, ‘Mother of the Faithful’, and ‘Mother of Believers’. As early as the fourth century, this was already mentioned in the writings of St. Augustine (354-430) and Pope St. Leo the Great (440-461). St. Augustine said “Mary is the Mother of the members of Christ, because with charity she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church.” St. Leo said “the birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, thus indicating that Mary is at once Mother of Christ, the Son of God, and Mother of the members of His Mystical Body, which is the Church.”

This title was formally used in the magisterium of Pope Benedict XIV in 1748 and then by Pope Leo XIII in 1885. It was at the Second Vatican Council that the title “Mother of the Church” was officially given to Mary. At the conclusion of the Third Session, on November 21, 1964, Pope Paul VI declared that the Blessed Virgin Mary is “Mother of the Church, that is to say of all Christian people, the faithful as well as the pastors, who call her the most loving Mother.” Moreover, he decreed that “the Mother of God should be further honored and invoked by the entire Christian people by this tenderest of titles.”

Pope St. John Paul II points out that the Blessed Virgin Mary’s maternity of Christ’s faithful is derived from her maternity of Christ. He explains: “Mary is present in the Church as the Mother of Christ, and at the same time as that Mother whom Christ, in the mystery of the Redemption, gave to humanity in the person of the Apostle John [cf. John 19:27]. Thus, in her new motherhood in the Spirit, Mary embraces each and every one in the Church, and embraces each and every one through the Church.”

In his decree establishing this Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, Pope Francis acknowledged that Mary, “as a caring guide to the emerging Church, had already begun her mission in the Upper Room, praying with the Apostles while awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit.” This explains why this celebration is observed on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday.

The Gospel for this Marian feast is the scene of the crucifixion. On the cross, Jesus said to His Mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” And to the disciple John, “Behold, your mother.” On the surface, this can be interpreted as an expression of tender concern for His Mother. But something more profound and sublime comes to fore when Jesus uses the word “Woman” to address her. For some, this may be a rude way of talking to one’s own mother. But in Aramaic, this is actually a term of respect — a normal, polite form of address.

By calling His Mother ‘Woman’, Jesus is alluding to the Woman in Genesis. The first woman, Eve, by her disobedience, brought sin and death to the world. But immediately after the fall of man, Yahweh made the first announcement of the good news by promising the coming of the second Woman, the second Eve. By her obedience, she will undo the sin of the first Woman, and give birth to the Savior.
The second Woman undoubtedly refers to Mary, for through her unique privilege and honor as the Immaculate Conception, God prepared her since eternity for her role as the Mother of His Incarnate Son. Jesus confirms this on two important events in His life. The first is at the wedding feast at Cana. It was through her intervention and intercession that His first public miracle took place. In His response to her request, Jesus clearly implies that doing this miracle publicly will reveal to the world His true identity, eventually leading to His self-immolation on the cross. In calling His Mother ‘Woman’, He is already indicating to her that she will no longer be His personal Mother, but is to be the Mother of the faithful as well.

And the second time Jesus called His Mother ‘Woman’ is at Calvary. Beneath the cross, Mary stood, together with the Beloved Disciple, John. Since all the other apostles have gone into hiding, John stands there as the only representative of the Church founded on the apostles. When Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son”, He is not only telling His Mother to take care of John. Rather, He is telling Mary that she is now not just His own Mother, but also the Mother of His Mystical Body, the Church. And when He said to John, “Behold thy Mother”, He is actually entrusting the Church to the motherly care of Mary.

On this day, let us honor our Blessed Mother. Let us thank the Lord Jesus for giving her to us to be our Mother, too. Just as she cared for her Son Jesus, we are certain she also takes care of us. While ‘mourning and weeping in this valley of tears’, we are assured of her love and protection.

Let the words of the Blessed Mother to St. Juan Diego in Guadalupe give us assurance and comfort: “Hear me and understand well, my little son, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.”

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