Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

Today, we honor Mary not just as the Mother of Jesus, but as the Mother of the Church—our Mother.

At the foot of the Cross, in the most painful moment of her life, Mary receives a new mission. Jesus says to the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother.” In that moment, He gives her to us. The Church is born from His pierced side—blood and water, the sacraments of new life. And Mary is there. She becomes the first to care for the Body of Christ, and now she cares for us, who are that Body.

In Genesis, we hear God asking Adam, “Where are you?”—a question that echoes through every human heart after sin. Adam and Eve hide, ashamed, afraid. But in Mary, we see humanity no longer hiding. She stands. At the Cross, she does not flee. She does not accuse. She loves.

Psalm 87 calls Jerusalem the mother of Zion, the place of God’s presence. It’s more than a city—it’s a people born in God’s mercy. And Mary is the living heart of those people. “All shall sing in their festive dance: ‘My home is within you.’” In Mary, the Church finds its home.

So today, let’s ask: Where are we? Are we hiding in shame or standing with Mary at the Cross, trusting in mercy? She invites us to draw near to Jesus, even when it hurts, even when it costs everything. Because where Mary is, there is the Church—and there, we find our home.

Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB