St John 19: 25-34

St John 19: 25-34

In today’s Gospel for the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church, we see the remnant of faithful disciples along side Our Blessed Mother, Mary. From this small faithful group and others will arise the Church. As they stand beneath the cross, Jesus addresses St John “behold thy mother”. Jesus fulfils the fourth commandment “honour your father and your mother”. Jesus in his last moments ensures the future well being and safety of his Mother in his absence. In these words, we understand the intensity and respect Jesus has for Mary.

To his mother Mary he says “behold thy son.”  Mary has generously desired to do all that God asked of her, she fully accepted God’s will and there was never any inconsistency between Mary’s life and the commitment to Her faith. Mary is entrusted by Jesus therefore to be also our spiritual mother, as she embodies everything the authentic, complete and perfect disciple is called to become. The mother of Jesus becomes the mother of the Church and of all God’s children.

Within a year of becoming Pope, St John Paul II made an Apostolic Pilgrimage to his beloved Poland. On the last day of his visit on the 6th June 1979 at the Jasna Gora Shrine to the Virgin of Czestochowa he prayed the following.

“Our Lady of the bright mountains, Mother of the Church. Once more, I consecrate myself to you, in your maternal slavery of love. Mother accept us. Mother do not abandon us. Mother be our guide. Totus tuus. All is yours.”

 

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