Monday, June 1, 2020

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Monday Week 9 Ordinary time - June 1, 2020


MONDAY 1ST JUNE 2020
MONDAY AFTER PENTECOST SUNDAY
MEMORIAL OF MARY MOTHER OF THE CHURCH; also, MEMORIAL OF ST. JUSTIN, MARTYR
Genesis 3:9-15,20, John 19:25-34
Apart from the celebrations that concern the persons of the Blessed Trinity, no other celebration is as numerous as that of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Liturgical calendar of the Church. At the end of the Second Vatican Council in 1964, Pope Paul VI had declared Mary, the mother of the Church. In the jubilee year of 1975, The Vatican also produced a special votive mass under the title, Beata Maria Ecclesiae Matre, which is Blessed Mary, Mother of the Church. It was finally in 2018, that Pope Francis declared that a memorial of Mary Mother of the Church should be celebrated on the day after Pentecost Sunday.
The role of Mary as Mother of the Church is very evident throughout the scriptures. The first reading of today from  the book of Genesis, presents us with the story of how Eve had failed us. Mary came and succeeded where Eve failed and she accepted to be the mother of our saviour and redeemer.
The title of Mary the mother of the church is very apt in the gospel reading. Shorly before he died on the cross, Jesus was surrounded with some people especially women who were crying at the foot of the cross. Jesus therefore called his mother, and handed her to John who represented the Church since he was the only Apostles present there. Jesus therefore told John to take care of his mother and told his mother to take care of his Church.
Mary continued her motherhood of the Church and showed it by following the Apostles to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit. It was this same Holy Spirit  that worked in the life of Justin the Martyr, a pagan philosopher who converted to christianity at the beginning of the second century, and he was able to use his philosophical knowledge to teach the Christian faith until he was killed. Mary also continued to make herself known in the church as we have seen in many apparitions and devotions to her. She had intervened in many world devastating plagues, wars and disasters and has protected the church from many impurities and infirmities. As we enter the ordinary season of the Liturgical calendar of the Church, we commend the church and our lives to the protective arm of our Mother, especially at this trying time of Covid-19 pandemic. We ask for her intercession. May we truly experience her maternal love and protection in our lives.
Mary, Mother of the Church,  Pray for us.
As we enter a new season in the Church and a new month, I pray that God will make you experience something positively new in your life. Amen .
Happy new month
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

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