Homily: 24 May: John 19:25-34

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(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)

From the pierced side of Jesus on the cross, the Church was born, just as from the sleeping side of Adam, Eve was born.  At the pierced side of Jesus on the cross was the mother and the disciple whom Jesus loved.  As the mother was present at the birth of Jesus, so the mother was present at the birth of the Church, which was born from the pierced side of Jesus on the cross.

There are two reasons why we can call Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Mother of the Church.  She gave birth to him at Bethlehem, and, being the Mother of Jesus, she becomes the Mother of his glorified body which includes the whole Church.  Besides these two reason, we have the words of Jesus himself, that those who do the will of his Father are his mother, sister and brother (Matthew 12:49).

In this Gospel passage, we have a reference to the creation of Eve from Adam’s side.  In Genesis (2:21-22), God put Adam into a deep sleep, took from his side flesh and bone, and fashioned from it woman.  In the deep sleep of death, the soldier opened the side of Jesus and in the blood and water that flowed out, the Church was born.  From Adam’s side, Eve came forth, from the Second Adam’s side came forth the Church.  At the birth of Jesus, his mother was present in a special way; at the birth of the Church from the pierced side of Jesus, his mother was also present in a special way.

This theology found in the Gospel according to John is also found in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.  The disciples are gathered together along with Mary the mother of Jesus (Acts 1:12-14).  Mary and the other disciples join in prayer as they await the coming of the Spirit on the fiftieth day (Acts 2:1-11).

Our Scripture passage promotes the notion that Mary, the mother of Jesus is also the Mother of the Church.  It is supported by Mary’s presence in the upper room in Acts and in the statement of Jesus recorded by Matthew.

All the disciples of Jesus are to him mother, sister and brother, members of his family, because they do the will of the Father.  We, likewise, are called, as was Mary, to be mother of the Church by remaining faithful to the will of the Father.  This can pose for us a question.  Do we live as mother, sister and brother to Jesus or do we live by another principle?