Today we are celebrating the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. Why is this title appropriate for Mary? Mary is the new Eve. Eve said no to God: no to "the gift of divine grace that raises us out of a purely natural state and into a dynamic of communion with God." (John Paul II, Man and Woman). Mary said yes: yes to bearing the Son of God who would bring redemption to His people.
By what authority has she been called Mother of the Church?
In our first reading today, Adam called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living. In our gospel reading, Jesus tells his beloved disciple to accept Mary as his mother and he tells Mary to accept the disciple as her son and the disciple takes Mary into his home. Mary lovingly accepted the last wish of Jesus to be with his disciples who represents the entire Church. Thus Mary is the Mother of the Church.
The title Mother of the Church was first attributed to Mary by Pope St Paul VI in 1964 at the end of the second Vatican Council’s third session, to focus on the maternal care of the Blessed Mother for the church. But it was Pope Francis who included this memorial into the general Roman Calendar to be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost.
John Hardon, S.J. said: "She is the Mother of the Church by giving us the One, without whom there would be no Church."
How can we honor Mary as Mother of the Church today?
Are we ready to say yes to God as Mary the new Eve and Mother of the Church, said yes to God? Are we ready to accept the redemption she brought us through her Son? Are we ready to include all people in our family as she had included us in hers?
We can honor her and her Son by saying yes as she said yes.
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.jpg "Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C.")