June 9, 2025
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
Lectionary: 572A
Reading I
After Adam had eaten of the
tree,
the LORD God called to him and asked him, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden;
but I was
afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid
myself.”
Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,
from the
tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!”
The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—
she gave me
fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”
The LORD God then asked the woman,
“Why did you
do such a thing?”
The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”
Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
“Because you
have done this, you shall be banned
from all the animals
and from all the wild creatures;
On your
belly shall you crawl,
and dirt shall you eat
all the days of your life.
I will put
enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
He will
strike at your head,
while you strike at his heel.”
The man called his wife Eve,
because she
became the mother of all the living.
OR:
Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven,
the
Apostles returned
to Jerusalem
from the
mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath
day’s journey away.
When they entered the city
they went to
the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and
John and James and Andrew,
Philip and
Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of
Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas
son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together
with some women,
and Mary the
mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Responsorial Psalm
R.
(3) Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than
any dwelling of Jacob.
R. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of
God!
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all
were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most
High LORD.”
R. Glorious
things are said of you, O city of God!
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man
was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is
within you.”
R. Glorious
things are said of you, O city of God!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O joyful
Virgin, who gave birth to the Lord;
O blessed Mother of the Church,
who nurture in us the Spirit
of your Son Jesus Christ!
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Gospel
Standing
by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of
Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to
his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold,
your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order
that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said,
“I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it
up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is
finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
Now since it was preparation day,
in order
that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the
sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews
asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and they be
taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of
the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not
break his legs,
but one
soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and
immediately Blood and water flowed out.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060925.cfm
Monday, June 9, 2025
Ordinary
Time
Opening Prayer
Father, keep before us the wisdom and love you have
revealed in your Son. Help us to be like Him in word and deed, for He lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading – John 19: 25-34
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw
his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother,
"Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple,
"Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into
his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the
Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst." There was a
vessel filled with common wine. So they puta sponge soaked in wine on a sprig
of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
"It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Now
since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the
cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the
Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the
soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was
crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already
dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his
side, and immediately Blood and water flowed out.
Reflection
•
Jn 19: 25-29: Mary, the strong woman who
understood the full meaning of this event, will help us cast a contemplative
glance at the crucified. The fourth Gospel specifies that these disciples
"stood by the cross" (Jn 19: 25-26). This detail has a deep meaning.
Only the fourth Gospel tells us that these five people stood by the cross. The
other Evangelists do not say so. Luke, for instance, says that all those who
knew him followed the events from a distance (Lk 23: 49). Matthew also says
that many women followed these events from afar. These women had followed Jesus
from Galilee and served Him. But now they followed Him from afar (Mt 27:
55-56). Like Matthew, Mark gives us the names of those who followed the death
of Jesus from afar (Mk 15: 40-41). Thus, only the fourth Gospel says that the
mother of Jesus and the other women and the beloved disciple "stood by the
cross." They stood there like servants before their king.
•
Jn 19: 30-34: They are present courageously at a
time when Jesus has already declared that "it is fulfilled" (Jn 19:
30). The mother of Jesus is present at the hour that finally "has
come." That hour was foretold at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2: 1ff).
The fourth Gospel had remarked then that "the mother of Jesus was
there" (Jn 2: 1). Thus, the person that remains faithful to the Lord in
His destiny, he/she is a beloved disciple. The Evangelist keeps this disciple
anonymous so that each one of us may see him/herself mirrored in the one who
knew the mysteries of the Lord, who laid his head on Jesus' chest at the last
supper (Jn 13: 25). The mother standing beneath the cross (cf. Jn 19: 25),
accepted her Son’s testament of love and welcomed all people in the person of
the beloved disciple as sons and daughters to be reborn unto life eternal.
•
Jesus takes an active part in His death, He does
not allow Himself to be killed like the thieves whose legs were broken (Jn 19:
31-33), but commits His spirit (Jn 19: 30). The details recalled by the
Evangelist are very important: Seeing His mother and the disciple whom He loved
standing near her, Jesus said to His mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to
the disciple He said, “This is your mother.” (Jn 19: 26-27). These simple words
of Jesus bear the weight of revelation, words that reveal to us His will:
"this is your son" (v. 26); "this is your mother" (v. 27).
These words also recall those pronounced by Pilate on the Lithostrotos:
"This is the man" (Jn 19: 5). With these words, Jesus on the cross,
his throne, reveals His will and His love for us. He is the lamb of God, the
shepherd who gives His life for His sheep. At that moment, by the cross, He
gives birth to the Church, represented by Mary, Mary of Cleophas and Mary
Magdalene, together with the beloved disciple (Jn 19: 25).
Personal Questions
•
How has Mary given you a model for parenthood,
discipleship, and love? What of these have I applied in my own life?
•
Mary exemplified humility and obedience, yet she
also led (as at Cana). How do I lead others, in what ways, while also being
truly humble and obedient myself?
Concluding Prayer
The precepts of Yahweh are honest, joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure, light for the eyes. (Ps 19: 8)
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