Ever since Pope Francis established the annual memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, on the Monday after Pentecost, much more attention has been placed on this particular role of the Blessed Mother.
Yet, this is not a new title, as it had already been proposed a number of times and is simply an expression of a teaching held by the Church since the very beginning.
Pope Benedict XVI provided many short and beautiful reflections on Mary, Mother of the Church, throughout his pontificate.
Taking her into our home
In a general audience in 2008, Benedict XVI referred to St. Paul VI’s use of the title:
The unique and unrepeatable position that Mary occupies in the Community of Believers also stems from her fundamental vocation to being Mother of the Redeemer. Precisely as such, Mary is also Mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. Rightly, therefore, on November 21, 1964 during the Second Vatican Council, Paul VI solemnly attributed to Mary the title "Mother of the Church.”
He further expanded his thoughts about this title, explaining how it is not just a “general” term, but one that reaches to each one of us:
It is because she is Mother of the Church that the Virgin is also the Mother of each one of us, members of the Mystical Body of Christ. From the Cross, Jesus entrusted his Mother to all his disciples and at the same time entrusted all his disciples to the love of his Mother.
Benedict XVI then went even deeper into this biblical episode, explaining the symbolism of John bringing Mary into his “home”:
This is the [English] translation of the Greek text "εiςtάíδια", he welcomed her into his own reality, his own existence. Thus, she is part of his life and the two lives penetrate each other. And this acceptance of her (εiςtάíδια) in his own life is the Lord's testament. Therefore, at the supreme moment of the fulfillment of his messianic mission, Jesus bequeathes as a precious inheritance to each one of his disciples his own Mother, the Virgin Mary.
This explanation provides a beautiful reflection on what it means for Mary to be “Mother of the Church.” She is not only mother of the institution, but even more so, she is our mother, a mother we should invite into our home.
She needs not only to be referred to as “mother,” but also invited, so that she is intimately united to our lives.
