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Writer's pictureSarah Raad

Mothering

With the redeeming death of her Son, the maternal mediation of the handmaid of the Lord took on a universal dimension, for the work of redemption embraces the whole of humanity.” (Pope Saint John Paul II, “Mary: God’s Yes to Man” at pages 129-130).

Icon Mary Spouse of the Holy Spirit

I have been reflecting on the Blessed Virgin.


The Blessed Virgin has many titles. She is called Saint Mary (as her least venerated title) and Handmaid, Spouse and Mother of God, Queen of Heaven as perhaps her most venerated title).


And I have been reflecting on one of the titles of the Blessed Virgin, which is Mother of the Church. You see, the Blessed Virgin is considered the Mother of the Church because when her Son was dying on the Cross, He gave her to Saint John. And she – through her silent ascent – accepted her role as mother of the Church when she exchanged her Divine Son for the earthly one standing beside her.


And I have been reflecting on the extent of that trade off and the true commitment that the Blessed Virgin made while standing in suffering at the Foot of the Cross. For she was not asked to take this man as her son in private. She was not asked during a happy time. On Palm Sunday, when Christ was welcomed into Jerusalem with accolades on the back of a donkey, with branches and cloaks placed under His feet there was no conversation about the mothering that would be required fo the Blessed Virgin. And yet…

“After the events of the Resurrection and Ascension, Mary entered the Upper Room together with the Apostles to await Pentecost, and was present there as the Mother of the glorified Lord. … Thus there began to develop a special bond between this Mother and the Church. For the infant Church was the fruit of the Cross and Resurrection of her Son. Mary, who from the beginning had given herself without reserve to the person and work of her Son, could not but pour out upon the Church, from the very beginning, her maternal self-giving. After her Son’s departure, her motherhood remains in the Church as maternal mediation: interceding for all her children, the Mother cooperates in the saving work of her Son, the Redeemer of the world. In fact, the Council teaches that the ‘motherhood of Mary in the order of grace . . . will last without interruption until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect’. With the redeeming death of her Son, the maternal mediation of the handmaid of the Lord took on a universal dimension, for the work of redemption embraces the whole of humanity.” (Pope Saint John Paul II, “Mary: God’s Yes to Man” at pages 129-130).


For the Blessed Virgin accepted onto her soul the weight of the whole world when she assented to be the Mother of the Church. For the Church requires a great effort in mothering to ensure that it remains Holy in the Eyes of God. And I understand something of the efforts of the Virgin, for the Church has withstood twenty centuries of sin – and that could only be through the efforts of the Holy Spirit and His most blessed Spouse, who will continue mothering the Church until the end of time…


For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.


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