I'm not entirely sure just how hot my parish is on Marian devotion, but I hit them with this this week anyway.
----------------------------
----------------------------
Traditionally, the upcoming Sunday was Laetare Sunday, a
refreshment Sunday that sees rose coloured vestments and a temporary relaxation
of the Lenten fast, was associated with the gospel stories of the loaves and
fishes. However this has been usurped by ‘Mothering Sunday’ and our gospel takes
us to the crucifixion, and Mary Mother of God receiving the Beloved Disciple as
a surrogate Son.
Although it seems a premature intrusion mid-lent, there is
nevertheless a certain synchronic logic to it. It was customary on Laetare
Sunday for people to return to the ‘Mother (principle) church’ in the area. The
Church of course is the bride of Christ and therefore our spiritual mother.
The scene at the foot of the cross is not just a touching
moment of human concern from Christ, but a deep symbolic movement of our
reception into our mother Church. Mary as God-bearer and second Eve, unique out
of all humans in her task, brought forth salvation and the new humanity from
the womb of faith. Through Baptism, the Church does the same to us today. Mary
is a sign of the Church.
Yet she is also the model disciple, her nearness to Christ
taking her to the foot of the cross, a destination we hope to share in a small
way through Holy Week, sharing in the sword that pierced her soul (Lk 2.35)
which is the wound of love. Bread and
Fish are commendable but the deeper mysteries presented here perhaps make our
modern practice more preferable still.
No comments:
Post a Comment