The title "Mother of the Church" (Mater Ecclesiae) honors the Virgin Mary

as the spiritual mother of all Christian believers.

Officially declared by Pope Paul VI in 1964, it is celebrated as a liturgical

memorial on the Monday following Pentecost Sunday.

Mary’s presence in the upper room with the Apostles

during Pentecost highlights her foundational maternal role

in the birth, protection, and mission of the early Church.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 (or Acts 1:12-14)

The Lord God

Called the man saying to him, "Where are you?"

He said, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked,

so I hid." God said, "Who told you that you were naked?

Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?"

 

The man answered, "The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it."

God said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate."

The Lord God said to the serpent, "Since you have done that,

be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly

and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel."

The man called his wife by the name of Eve because she was the mother of all the living.

 

Ps 87:1-2,3 & 5,6-7 

Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

 

John 19:25-34

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary,

who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw the mother and the disciple whom he loved,

he said to the mother, "Woman, this is your son."

Then he said to the disciple, "This is your mother."

And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home.

 

Jesus knew all was now finished and, in order to fulfill what was written in Scripture,

he said, I am thirsty. A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so,

putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to his lips.

Jesus took the wine and said, "It is accomplished." Then he bowed his head and gave up the spirit.

 

As it was Preparation Day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross during the Sabbath,

for this Sabbath was a very solemn day. They asked Pilate to have the legs

of the condemned men broken so that the bodies might be taken away.

 

The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other man,

who had been crucified with Jesus. When they came to Jesus,

they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs.

One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with

a lance and immediately there came out blood and water.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

A model for all believers.

There is a saying that mothers are the light of every home because of their

nurturing presence and unparalleled love. They are also considered the heart of a family.

In the first reading, we see how the disobedience of Eve, our first mother,

became the path of sin. Because of disobedience, eternal life in paradise was replaced by death.

On the other hand, by obeying the will of God and faithfully standing at the foot of the Cross,

Mary, the mother of Jesus, became the mother of the Church.

 

Mary's presence at the foot of the cross embodies her unwavering faith and love,

making her a model for all believers.

Today, let us thank God as we remember Mary, Mother of the Church.

We are blessed to have been given a mother to guide,

lead, and accompany us on our journey as a living Church.