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Today marks the feast day dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, among the most recent feast days decreed by the Holy See. Pope Francis wanted to memorialize Our Lady’s role in establishing the Catholic Church, so in 2018 he decreed the annual day of celebration that will always fall on the day after Pentecost.
You can read the full decree on the Vatican website, but the following summarizes Pope Francis’s intent.
“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.”
Today, at Monday morning Mass, our priest emphasized Mary’s role in guiding, consoling and inspiring the apostles who were fearful of what would become of them without Jesus. They had received the Holy Spirit the day prior on Pentecost Sunday, with instructions to go out and share the Gospel with the world. But just how to do that was overwhelming for them. Gathered in the upper room, with Mary in their midst, they began that effort.
Consider that Mary had just lost her only son to a horrific death. Yet, she immediately took on the mantle of the Church’s matriarch. Our Lady found the strength and courage to counsel and support the men who were to establish the Church of Christ.
Interestingly, with all the challenges she faced (the stigma of conceiving a child out of wedlock, the seven sorrows she endured, and a future without her husband and son), she was strong enough to carry on the mission of Jesus until her death – and now, from Heaven.
The images of Mary that we see today – from religious art to holy cards to statuary – depict her as a beautiful, seemingly delicate woman. She always has a peaceful, loving, calm look about her. This is not the image one would imagine of an individual charged with guiding the entire world, generation after generation, to Christ.
Today, we see strong women in leadership roles in business and politics, but it seems they are striving to look the role with practiced gestures, expressions and rehearsed soundbites. They are nothing like Mary who leads with love, compassion and understanding.
She is indeed the most important and impressive woman who ever lived.
I am hoping to bring more knowledge about the Virgin Mary to the world, especially during these times when we need her most. Please consider sharing this post, this site, or its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. I invite you to subscribe to this site (below) to be notified of new posts. Thank you.
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