Today is the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church
On Monday after Pentecost, the Church around the world is celebrating the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mother of the Church. The Church, born on the day of Pentecost, is accompanied by the Mother of Jesus, who supports and protects the community of her Son's disciples.
Although the theologians gave the title of Mother of the Church to Mary from the beginning of the history of the Church, the feast dedicated to this name of the Mother of God was the idea of Polish bishops in the 20thCentury. Efforts were initiated in 1964 by the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński during the third session of the Second Vatican Council. Together with Polish bishops, he also postulated that this feast be celebrated not only in Poland, but also in the entire Church. However, it was only established by Pope Francis, and on May 21, 2018, it was celebrated in the world for the first time. In accordance with the decision of Pope Francis - it is an obligatory memorial celebrated in the entire Catholic Church in the Latin rite. Until 2018 the Feast has only been celebrated in Poland and Argentina.
Why is Mary the Mother of the Church?
What does it mean that Mary is the Mother of the Church and in what sense is she? Well, she is not physically or mentally like she is the Mother of Jesus. Nor is she in a symbolic or institutional sense, as a woman is the mother of some organization that she founded. She is the Mother of the Church in a spiritual sense, but what does that mean?
In looking for an answer to this question, the liturgy of the Church is helpful for us, namely the aforementioned close connection between the feast of Mother of the Church and the Solemnity of Pentecost. The Church is born on the day of Pentecost. Until this moment, it does exist, beginning with the revelations of the Risen Jesus, but it is an existence similar to the life of a child in the womb. She is dependent, hidden for fear of Jews, "does not breathe", is nourished by someone's breath, waits for its own breath of the Spirit...
We can imagine how many hopes, and also how many doubts, this time of great promises aroused, but also the time of long waiting for their fulfillment; and it is in the midst of threats. We ourselves know such periods from our spiritual life, sometimes lasting very long. How then is it necessary to have someone who has traveled such a spiritual path, what a treasure at such moments is to have a real spiritual father or a spiritual mother who will say at least this: Don't worry, this is normal, this is how God works, I also went through it, I remember you in my prayers!
The author of Acts of Apostles tells us what happened to the Apostles after the ascension of the Lord Jesus, when “all these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (cf. Acts 1:14). It is no coincidence that St. Luke mentions Mary by name here. Her role in this group was special. The Apostles took her with them not only because she was the Mother of Jesus, not out of respect, or not out of a sense of duty towards the Mother of the Lord. In their uncertainty and waiting for the fulfillment of the Promise, they knew that Mary is the first and only One on whom the Holy Spirit already descended (cf. Lk 1:34). So they had witnesses of His power among them, evidence of the Promise fulfilled. Who knows, if not it was in those days of prayers and conversations that they learned about the mysteries of her life, from joyful trough painful to glorious, which they themselves, with her, became now participants. They made with her, so to speak, the first retreat that opened and prepared their hearts for God's gifts. We will never be able to imagine the power of those spiritual conferences that Mary gave them, how they were simple, far from weaving theories rich in beautiful words and poetic images, how they spoke to the heart and mind through the facts of life, how they soothed their hearts. They were spiritual food for unsure disciples. Just as a mother feeds the child in her womb with her own blood, so Mary nourished them with her own life. She really became the spiritual mother of the nascent Church. She fed her so that, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ would be born in Church, so that he would be fully revealed in the faces of the Apostles, in their words and deeds, to the astonishment and conversion of those who watched and listened.
After the description of Pentecost, the Acts of the Apostles no longer mentions Mary. This is also an important sign. A good mother does not interfere with the life of a mature child. This does not mean, however, that she still does not surround him with her concern and prayer. From then on, the Holy Spirit guides the Church, which, thanks to her Mother who leads her to the Spirit, and thanks to the Holy Spirit working in her, becomes a Mother herself, giving birth to her children in the spring of Holy Baptism.
Mary's role as Mother of the Church does not end in apostolic times. It continues today. The Church expresses this truth on another Marian feast, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians. It completes in a marvelous way and actualizes this title of Mother of the Church. The Church experiences Mary as a mother whenever she ponders the mysteries of her life, whenever she is immersed in her history, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. In Her - the Bride of the Holy Spirit - Church not only finds her model, it would be too little, she finds her life, meaning and mission, which is to lead, through the power of the Spirit, to the conception, development and birth of Jesus Christ in hearts and attitudes of her children. The Church experiences her protection as a mother also through her care, expressed not only in answered prayers, the proofs of which, apart from the inner experiences of her children, are thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of votive offerings and testimonies gathered in Marian shrines all over the world, but also in numerous apparitions in every epoch. Many of them, such as those of Lourdes and Fatima, the Church recognized unequivocally as the voice of her Mother and made them the content of her life.
The Mother of the Church, my Mother!
The Mother of the Church is my Mother in a special way. After all, I am part of the Body of Christ, I am the Church of God. The feast of the Mother of the Church is the feast of my Mother and a reminder, that I have such a Mother. I'm not alone anymore. Whether my earthly mother is alive or not, I have a Mother who does not die, is always present with me, vigilant, serving me with all the power of her Maternal Heart, uniting me to her Divine Son, and my Brother, Jesus Christ. From the mast of the Cross Jesus said to her, showing her to John, to the Church, to all humanity, to me ... "Here is your son." After all, she is the Mother of Jesus, and now the Mother of the Church and of the entire People of God and my Mother. She is given to the crowd, to all people and ... me. She will no longer have a quiet moment. People will turn to her in their needs, in all moments of their lives. God Himself shows us: Look at her. Go to her! She will help you! She can do it all. She will give you Jesus the blessed Fruit of her womb.
Such a Mother is needed by the modern world, people turn their eyes and hearts to her, and I miss such a Mother. Holy Mother will remain in the Church of Christ, always sensitive to others, completely devoted to the service of love. She will remain under the cross of every child of God, redeemed by the Blood of Christ.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george