Homily, 5-20-24; Feast of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church:
That Jesus’ legs were not to be broken was prophesied in Exodus when we hear about the requirements for the lamb to be sacrificed at Passover: “You shall not break any of its bones.” (Exodus 12:46) That He would instead be pierced by a lance we hear prophesied from the Prophet Zechariah: “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of mercy and supplication, so that when they look on him whom they have thrust through, they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and they will grieve for him as one grieves over a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10) Jesus offer Himself up on the cross as the perfect unblemished sacrifice. And from that cross, He gave us Mary to be our mother,
Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost, which is considered the birthday of the Church. Today we honor Mary as the Mother of that Church, the Church formed as Jesus’ side was opened and blood and water flowed forth. Adam’s side was opened to create Eve, his bride. Christ’s side was opened to create His Church. St. Augustine wrote: “The Evangelist has expressed himself cautiously; not struck, or wounded, but opened His side: whereby was opened the gate of life, from whence the sacraments of the Church flowed, without which we cannot enter into that life which is the true life.” He goes on to say: “And forthwith came thereout blood and water. That blood was shed for the remission of sins, that water tempers the cup of salvation. This it was which was prefigured when Noah was commanded to make a door in the side of the ark, by which the animals that were not to perish by the deluge entered; which animals prefigured the Church. To shadow forth this, the woman was made out of the side of the sleeping man; for this second Adam bowed His head, and slept on the cross, that out of that which came therefrom, there might be formed a wife for Him.”
We, the Church, are the spouse of Jesus, and Mary is our mother. In his announcement of today’s feast day declared by Pope Francis, Cardinal Sarah wrote: “This celebration will help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed, the Virgin who makes her offering to God.”
We have passed through the seasons of Lent and Easter. We contemplated the Cross and celebrated the empty tomb. And we can reflect on whether these seasons changed us. Are our lives more securely anchored in the mystery of the cross? Are we more grateful for the gift of the Eucharist and all the sacraments that flowed from Jesus’ side? Let us make our offering to God with Mary, our mother, and thank her for her role in our salvation.
Let us not hesitate to ask our mother to intercede for us. I know many of you are praying the nine-month novena prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It begins: “O Virgin Mother of God, we fly to your protection and beg your intercession against the darkness and sin which ever more envelop the world and menace the Church. Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, gave you to us as our mother as He died on the Cross for our salvation.” Let us pray always for her intercession for our own needs and for the health of the Church.