Scripture Reflection - September 15
-
Readings: 1 Cor 12: 12-14, 27-31a; Ps 100, John 19: 25-27/ Luke 2: 33-35
Mary not only gave birth to the physical Body of Christ, tending to His needs during His ministry, but she also was joined with Jesus as part of His Mystical Body, the Church. As Christian we are part of the church and we must focus on what GOD is calling us to build up the other members of the church by living out our call in the Body of Christ.
St. Paul uses the analogy of the body to show how all are different parts of the same Body of Christ, must work together for the building up of the the Body of Christ. The psalm reminds us we are called to be part of the one flock of God. In the Gospel we are reminded that suffering and sorrow are part of our life on earth, and the closer we are to the Lord Jesus, the better the chance we will suffer for our being bound to Him.
As Jesus hangs on His cross, suffering and dying, He is aware of the presence of His mother and the beloved disciple. Jesus entrusts the care of His mother to His disciple, and the care of His disciple to His mother. Part of the salvific plan is that we are responsible for the continued care of others. We must love the other parts of the Body of Christ. Love demands that we are compassionate and loving.
Love is much more than having a “warm” feeling for someone, but it demands that we are not caught up in ourselves but seek to be understanding and caring for others. This type of love calls us to do our “bodily” part for the sake of the whole Body. It may demand suffering on our part. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was not caught up in herself, but wanted to be with her dying Son and also to care for, and be cared for by, John the disciple. Thus, she knew her role in not just giving birth to the physical Body of Jesus, but in supporting and being supported by the various parts of the church - the Mystical Body of her Son. She has been and still is an active part of the Body of Christ.
If we seek to be united to the One Who suffered and died for us, we will be willing to be connected to His suffering and to the parts in His Mystical Body - the church. We end up giving our united praise and love to Jesus, even in our suffering or being united with the suffering parts of the Body of Christ. We must be joined lovingly to all the members of His Body. We will take up the cup of salvation as He did, as we join Him in loving, sometimes painful, service of others, even to the point of laying down our lives for the Good of others. We will also be joined to His mother, Mary, who is Our Lady of Sorrows, since she modeled what it means to be a disciple who is willing to suffer with her Son, Jesus.
God bless,
Abba Meskel