The Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church | Monday 29 May 2023

Today is Monday the 29th of May, the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.

The Gaudete Ensemble sing 'Ave Maria' by Margaret Rizza. On this feast day, we give thanks for Mary’s motherhood. Perhaps there’s something in particular you would like to give thanks for…

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.


Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.


John 19:25-30

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

This is a terrible moment, a mother watching her son die an appalling and tormented death. But he does two things that are rather unexpected: he says, “Woman, here is your son”, to that mother; and then, to the disciple whom he particularly loved, “Here is your mother”. How do you experience this moment? What is going on here for you?

“It is finished”: what meaning do Jesus’ words carry for you here? How do you hear him saying them?

“…he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”. As you watch this final gesture, what is going on inside you?


Now listen as the story is read again, and ask: How is God present in this story?

Finally, you might like to try and sum up all that you are feeling now, in the form of a prayer to God.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.