14. The Blessed Virgin Mary/ Mother of Reconciliation

FIRST READING

     On behalf of Christ we implore you to be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Brothers and sisters:

Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:

the old things have passed away;

behold, new things have come.

And all this is from God,

who has reconciled us to himself through Christ

and given us the ministry of reconciliation,

namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,

not counting their trespasses against them

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

So we are ambassadors for Christ,

as if God were appealing through us.

We implore you on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,

so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

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Commentary on 2 Cor 5:17-21

St. Paul begins this passage with an image of baptism (“Whoever is in Christ is a new creation”) which is how we are reconciled to God through Christ. He (God) goes on using Christ as the tool for the remission of sin (trespasses) and using Christians to spread that word to the world. The evangelist  then continues to exhort the Corinthians. He calls them to faithfulness, to be reconciled with God in Christ because of Jesus’ great sacrifice for us all.

CCC: 2 Cor 5:17 1214, 1265; 2 Cor 5:17-18 1999; 2 Cor 5:18-21 2844; 2 Cor 5:18 981, 1442, 1461; 2 Cor 5:19 433, 620; 2 Cor 5:20 859, 1424, 1442; 2 Cor 5:21 602

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 103:1-2,3-4, 8-9,13-14,17-18a

R. (1a) O bless the Lord, my soul.

Bless the LORD, my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, my soul;
do not forget all the gifts of God.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

Who pardons all your sins,
heals all your ills,
delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness.
God does not always rebuke,
nurses no lasting anger.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on the faithful.
For he knows how we are formed,
remembers that we are dust.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

But LORD'S kindness is forever
toward the faithful from age to age.
God favors the children's children
of those who keep the covenant.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

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Commentary on Ps 103:1-2,3-4, 8-9,13-14,17-18a

Psalm 103 is a hymn of praise (and thanksgiving). It is a simple and beautiful reaction to God’s goodness. Reflecting upon human mortality, the psalmist reflects on the brevity of life and the blessing God bestows upon us in his eternal blessing of those who follow him and keep his covenant. It continues the analogy used in Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 speaking to us of the loving and compassionate Father. It goes on to emphasize the omnipresence of God and His eternal nature; knowing us from eternity.

CCC: Ps 103 304

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GOSPEL

 

     This is your son. This is your Mother.

 

John 19:25-27

 

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary Magdalene.

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.

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Commentary on Jn 19:25-27

Here is Jesus’ last address to his mother. Although the address sounds unnecessarily formal ("Woman, behold, your son.") this would have been considered a polite address in biblical times. The reference, “Woman”, is possibly to Genesis 3:15 which describes the mother of the Messiah as the “woman” whose offspring conquers the devil (CCC 726, 2618)[1]. The Lord, nearing the end of his life, commends the care of his mother to the disciple whom he loved. It is presumed this is done because Jesus has no brothers or sisters, and his adoptive father, Joseph, has already died.

 In this instance, while it can be assumed that the disciple referred to is St. John, the author of the Gospel, the tender consignment of the care of the Lord’s mother is seen as iconic. That is, she is given into the care of all of the disciples, whom Jesus loves. Seeing her son dying upon the cross is one of the seven sorrows the Blessed Mother endured in faith.

CCC: Jn 19:25-27 726, 2618; Jn 19:25 495; Jn 19:26-27 501, 964, 2605; Jn 19:27 2677, 2679

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[1] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp. 198