Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

holly tree flowers

Lectionary: 572A

Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
And of Zion they shall say: “One and all were born in her; and He who has established her is the Most High LORD.”
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled: “This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance: “My home is within you.” (Psalm 87)

Today is the fifth annual obligatory memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. Historians of the Church will remember this feast as flowing from the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Although some might have preferred to purge Our Lady from life in the Spirit, the Council refocused our devotions to her within our love and worship of her Son Jesus Christ. 

Those who would forget her would forget the human nature of her son. They risk worshiping an imaginary deity who never appeared in human history; and imperil their own salvation. 

The Mother of God remains to assure us of her Son's immediate presence. He is "one like us in all things but sin.;" He has ascended to take his place at God's right hand and, unlike some high and mighty humans, never abandons those who love him. He lives forever to make intercession for us. 

That expression comes from the Letter to the Hebrews (7:23-2 8); it deserves further reflection:

Those priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but he, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

We praise God that he has anointed Mary's Son, a human being, as the priest who enters the Heavenly Temple and Inner Sanctuary of God's presence with a sacrifice not of sheep or heifers but his own body and blood. Nor would his sacrifice be sufficient if he had not surrendered everything, even his divinity for us. 

For he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2)

When heretics of the fourth century or the twenty-first century ignore the humanity of Jesus, stressing his spiritual nature alone, Mary's presence silently rebukes them. Like heroic women of every age, she does not go away. She cannot be ignored. 

The grateful Church welcomes her in every age of human history with more titles and more shrines. They pop up everywhere as she welcomes Catholics and Protestants and all Earth's creatures to turn to her Son. "Am I not your mother?" she asks; and we cannot refuse her. 

As we set out to the deep of the Ordinary Time of year, Mary and Jesus go with us. His parting word was, "Remember, I am with you always." Our Eucharist of daily bread and weekly worship, the rosaries in our purses and pockets, and the medals on our necks, assure us of God's abiding presence.