40
YEARS SINCE THE COUNCIL
by Pascual Chávez Villanueva
REJUVENATING THE FACE
A MOTHER FOR THE CHURCH
The Church is the new people of God, founded by Christ who presents Himself to us as her head and spouse. He loved Her so much as to “give Himself” for her. With her He wished to “be so united” as to form a single body, the Mystical Body. The place of Mary.
Tlhe place that Mary has in that very special body called the Mystical Body is unique. Since she is the mother of Christ she cannot but also be mother of the Church. There is also another reason: declaring that Mary has been assumed body and soul into heaven means nothing less than to recognise that this identification with Christ has been achieved in the most perfect way. Therefore she can and should be considered mother and model of the Church. Certainly among all her titles, the greatest that could be conferred on her and the one that best reflects the mystery of her life is that of “Mother of God.” God prepares her by creating her immaculate from the first moment of her conception. In the Annunciation He makes her share in His plan of salvation; she accepts without reserve to collaborate in this plan which is beyond human thinking. Then through the mysterious generative power of the Spirit active within her Mary conceives the Son of God. In this way the motherhood begins that will burst forth at Christmas. Shortly before, the joy of John in Elizabeth’s womb will have made her realise that her maternity was not to be a private matter. Later, the circumcision and the presentation in the Temple will reveal to her that suffering will always be a part of her motherhood.
□ At 12 years of age among the doctors in the temple, Jesus shows his mother that he has a mission, entrusted to him by the Heavenly Father, before which both she and Joseph have to submit. (Lc 2,48-49). Twenty years or so later during the marriage feast at Cana, Mary seems to test the identity of this Son of hers: when she notices that the wine is running short, she provokes Jesus to reveal himself, anticipating “his hour”. The event convinces the disciples of the young rabbi that in him the scriptures are being fulfilled, and they gather close around him. In this way a new family comes into being in the presence of Mary. Then Calvary. At the foot of the cross her vocation as mother at the moment in which the beloved disciple is confided to her is extended to include all believers indeed all the human race. Finally at Pentecost, we find her among the disciples almost as their mother, in prayer, waiting. The Spirit of God will come in a blazing, thundering manifestaion signalling the definitve birth of the Church and the beginning of a new story that will last until the end of time. Mary’s role is part of that event which sees God’s breaking into the world. The Spirit never leaves her and she is ever the faithful spouse. The birth of the Church the Mystical Body of Christ therefore is the fruit of the Holy Spirit but also of Mary. Almost a new Incarnation.
□ From now on, every charism, every innovation in the light of salvation, every new birth in the Church is the fruit of the Spirit , but Mary too is there. We can therefore say with absolute certainty that she is the Mother of the Church. Her acceptance of the will of God Who chose her, her fidelity to the Holy Spirit who took her as his dwelling place and her divine motherhood consecrate her as Mother of the Redeemed of all times and of all places. Her motherhood reached its culmination in the Assumption since before the Holy Trinity she becomes the intercessor, the help, the mother who protects, intecedes, consoles, and brings to maturity the realisation of being children of God, of seeking always to do the will of the Father, of putting oneself on the path toward those in need.
It wasn’t easy for her to understand what was being asked of her. To be the mother of Jesus is wonderful, but she hears from her own son the words: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice. (Lk 8, 21 ) In fact she is being asked to be the daughter of her son and the disciple of his messsage. And Mary makes a faith journey constantly repeating her Fiat. “Let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk 1,38). And so the mother of Jesus become the first new creature, born from faith and fidelity, and therefore an image and icon of the Church. Also as a believer she is the model and the mother of believers the prototype of the disciple and mother of all believers.
In her striving for fidelity to her founder and spouse Jesus Christ, the Church needs to fix her gaze on Mary, the perfect model to follow and to imitate. Only in this way will she be able to continue in the world the work of Jesus with the power of the Spirit. It is beautiful and very consoling to know that we can always count on the motherly presence of Mary. She has been given to us; we can take her home as did the beloved disciple. Whoever has His mother in his home will experience the love of Jesus.
