Overview:

The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

A Reflection for the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.” (Jn 19:25-27)

Find today’s readings here.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, whose memorial we celebrate today, belongs, of course, to all of us. But I think she has a special place in her heart for mothers who have lost a child of their own.

Our mother, Mary, lost her son in the most gruesome of ways. Even after the resurrection and all that came after, I am sure she could never forget the horror of Jesus’ crucifixion. How powerless she must have felt, standing at the foot of the cross. Thank God John and the two Marys were there with her. Most of the apostles fled, but God did not leave her alone to grieve.

Today I am praying for mothers who sit in hospital rooms, waiting for a miracle; for mothers who get a phone call in the middle of the night, with unthinkable news. Some day their child will be restored to them. But until then they will never be the same.  

Mary is with these women; I am convinced of that.

It is a medical miracle that most women today do not know the pain of losing a child. For most of history this was not true. Mary must have known many women who lost children in childbirth, or died themselves. She was not alone in her grief.  

I worry that women who lose children today feel especially alone. It is a club no one wants to belong to—or talk about. But Mary is with them, full stop. May God give us the courage to be with them too.

Tim Reidy joined America’s staff in October 2006 and served as online editor for several years before moving into his current role as the deputy editor in chief. Tim oversees America’s newsroom, directing its daily news coverage as well as working with the editorial leadership team to plan each print issue. Tim also edits the magazine’s Ideas section, where he contributes book reviews and essays. Before joining America, he worked at the Hartford Courant, a newspaper in Connecticut, and Commonweal magazine. In addition to writing for America, he has contributed to The New York Times, the Columbia Journalism Review and the Princeton Alumni Weekly. He has been interviewed about the Catholic Church on WNYC in New York, ABC, Bloomberg TV and other media outlets. Tim also serves on the board of directors of Jesuit Refugee Service USA. He lives in Bronxville, N.Y., with his wife and two children.