MONDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
- Seminarian Chris Paul Ndung’u
- May 24, 2021
- 3 min read
24th May 2021
Gn 3:9-15, 20,
Ps: 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7,
Gospel: Jn 19:25-34
OUR COMPASSIONATE HEAVENLY MOTHER
Today being the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, we honour and cherish our Blessed Mother for taking up the role of being the Mother of all ChristianFaithfuls. The key to understanding this reality lies in the recognition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the New Eve who undid the effects of the Old Eve.
The picture of the old Eve is reflected in today’s first reading where we see the origin of sin in the world through the first man and woman. Apparently, the woman yielded to the temptation of the serpent and eventually lured her husband to do likewise. Following this, God cursed the serpent and prophesies the coming of the Saviour who is the New Adam through a woman who is the New Eve. Fulfilling the prophecy made by God in the first reading, the Blessed Virgin Mary cooperated with the divine plan through her Yes to God’s request, enabling the Saviour to be born as Man. The Gospel passage depicts our Blessed Mother standing at the foot of the Cross. She would have been in no other place than directly beneath her Son as he endured his last agony. She did not flee in fear, she was not overwhelmed by grief, but rather, stood by her Son with the perfect
love and strength of a devoted, caring, compassionate, and faithful mother.
As she stood by her Son in His hour of suffering and death, Jesus turned to her and entrusted the Apostle John to her maternal care. This act of entrusting John to Mary and Mary to John by Jesus is understood as an entrustment of all the faithful to the maternal care of Mother Mary. Mother Mary is, therefore, not only the Mother of the Redeemer Christ Himself but also the Mother of all the redeemed, the mother of us all, the Mother of the Church.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, We are being called upon by Jesus in His last wish to accept the Blessed Virgin Mary as our mother. With Virgin Mary on our side, nothing can go wrong. The Blessed Virgin Mary is our mother and as our mother, she is truly tender, compassionate, caring, and merciful bestowing upon us everything that a perfect mother desires to bestow. She is a mother wholly devoted to us her dear children.
Sometimes when we face temptations, humiliations, rejections, challenges, or go through difficult situations, we may think that we have been abandoned or deserted by God but be assured that Our Mother Mary cannot forsake those who run to her for Help. If you are unaware of the love in the heart of our Blessed Mother for you, use this memorial as an opportunity to deepen your understanding of her role in your life. Many children take their mothers for granted, not fully understanding the depth of their love. So it is with our Mother in Heaven.
Let us today see and realize, Mother Mary standing by us in every moment of our life. Let us see her in our joys and in our sorrows, during our moments of temptation and struggles, in our moments of confusion and clarity. Let us see her there by our side, bestowing every good spiritual gift upon us when we need it most. She is indeed a true mother and she is worthy of our love and gratitude.
May Mother Mary intercede for us.
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