GOSPEL

“Behold your son. Behold your mother”

From the Gospel according to John  19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

The Gospel of the Lord

Your mother is my mother.

Today we celebrate the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. It might seem that this Gospel should end right after the verse where Jesus tells John that Mary is his Mother. However, the Gospel continues until the death of Jesus and the moment when His Most Sacred Heart is pierced, from which the Church emerges in the form of blood and water.

And why is this? Because Mary is the Mother of the Head of the Church, and therefore, in that moment, Mary also becomes the Mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, that is, the Mother of the Church, from which all the children of God will be born through baptism.

I gaze in admiration at Jesus in the Eucharist and ask Him: How far have You wanted to involve Yourself with humanity that You submit to the Motherhood of a human mother for eternity?

The Love of God remains a mystery difficult to fathom for someone as small as me. I want to delve deeper into Your Heart, Lord.

Applied to Married Life:

Cristina: Look, I married you, not your family.

Julian: Look, Cristina, it’s clear that you didn’t marry my parents, but by marrying me, you accepted my past, my present, and my future. And that very much includes my parents.

Cristina: of course, Julian, that sound lovely, but the reality is that your parents are your parents and mine are mine. Everyone has to handle their own problems. You know?

Julian: Look, you are a very devout woman. So I ask you to contemplate Christ. He marries humanity and accepts a human Mother, and names her the Mother of all the children of God. And God Himself accepts her as Mother and doesn’t say to Jesus, “Hey, she’s your Mother, and only yours.” Being One, He also accepts her as the Mother of God. We need to learn from Christ the Bridegroom to be good spouses. And I’m the first one, okay? Because I’m the first to admit that I don’t give myself like He does.

Cristina: Yes, let’s learn from Him. But in every way, okay?

Julio: In every way Cristina, in every way.

 

Mother,

Congratulations, Mother, thank you for welcoming us all as your children and for being the best Mother. The best! Blessed are you, Most Holy Virgin Mary.