Reflection
Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Psalm 87
John 19:25-34
Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. This is a newer liturgical feast added to our calendar by Pope Francis in 2018. In doing so, Pope Francis declared that Mary is the Mother of Christ who is the Son of God, and the mother of His Mystical Body, His Church which is also our Church.
Recently, I had the chance to stand in the place where Mary lived her last days on earth before being assumed into heaven. The building itself is somewhat a reproduction but the foundation, the floor, is as it was when she walked across that floor. Entering the home, a very simple two room stone house in Ephesus, Turkey, was an incredible sense of peace. Our tour of Ephesus had been going at a pretty busy pace that day, but it all seemed to come to a stop in that simple house.
I stopped at the place that was likely the altar with a tabernacle used while she lived there, and just stood there for several minutes looking at a painting of Mary and the tabernacle. Wow! I did not want to leave. I did not want to even move from that spot, but alas, the tour group had to move on.
That is kind of the story of Mary in our lives. Mary brings us great peace because she brings us to her Son. And the easiest way to be with her Son is to be in His Church. Being a part of His Mystical Body, His Church, means we do not stand still but rather we accept the peace Mary shares with us and then go share it with others. So today, who needs you to bring them that peace?
Go smile at God today!