Mary of Nazareth is Mother of God, Mother of Christ and Mother of His whole Church
Reflections on the readings for the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary (June 1, 2020): GN 3:9-15,20; PS 87:1-2,3,5,6-7; JN 19:25-34
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
Mary was with them to share this extraordinary moment...
On this day after we observed Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, we venerate the Blessed Virgin as Mother of the Church. She was with them as they prayed and waited, just as Jesus had directed them to do before He ascended to heaven. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ closest followers were finally prepared to reveal to all people the message of divine redemption and love that He had taught them. And Mary was with them to share this extraordinary moment. Almighty God always intended His people to be with Him for eternity and to do that He sent His Son to offer Himself up for us. In the first reading today, we are reminded of God’s unconditional love and the divine plan that would ultimately save us. In the first book of the Bible we hear Him addressing Adam and Eve after their fall from grace. “Then the Lord God said to the serpent… ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel’” (Genesis 3:14, 15).
Jesus came among us to invite us to join Him in a deeply intimate way as members of His own Body, His Church. He spared nothing of Himself to open the gates of heaven for us. On this feast, we acknowledge the Blessed Virgin Mary as our very real Mother. She cooperated with the Father and the Holy Spirit in bringing our Savior into this world. She is the Mother of Christ, the head of the Church and so is the Mother of all who are members of the Mystical Body – and our best model for loving and serving her Son all the days of our lives.
Suggested missionary action: Let us ask our Blessed Mother to protect and care for the Church of her Son. And let us also pray for her to help the Pontifical Mission Societies and all missionaries who strive to guide God’s people ever closer to our Savior.