Mary as a Type of the Church - Motherhood

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 5 March 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Three weeks ago, we shared about Mary as Mother of the Church, followed by a story of faith in her intercession as Mother. This week, we continue our theme of Mary and the Church by seeing her as a type of the Church. The Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, (#63) cited St. Ambrose in stating that “the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ”.

“Type”, in this context can be interpreted as “figure” or “model”. Hence, Mary as a type of the Church simply means that Mary is a figure or model of the Church. By looking at Mary, the Church finds herself, her role and mission, because, in Pope John Paul II’s words, Mary “has gone before” the People of God in the pilgrimage of faith. Like Mary, the Church is both mother and virgin.

Today, I will share on the aspect of the Church’s motherhood. I am sure you have heard of the phrase “Mother Church”. It means simply that the Church is Mother – just as we call Mary, “Mother Mary”. I quote Fr. Josef Neuner, “Mary gave birth to Jesus’ earthly body, the Church is to give birth to the body of his faithful…” (2004, p4). How?

The Lumen Gentium (#64) states: “The Church indeed, contemplating her (i.e. Mary’s) hidden sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will, by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By her preaching she brings forth to a new and immortal life the sons who are born to her in baptism, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: through the Church, we receive faith and new life in Christ by Baptism (CCC, #168). “Because we receive life of faith through the Church, she is our mother….” Hence, “…she is also our teacher in the faith.” (CCC, #170) “As a mother who teaches her children to speak and so to understand and communicate, the Church our Mother teaches us the language of faith in order to introduce us to the understanding and the life of faith.” (CCC, #171)

So Holy Mother Church gives birth to us spiritually, and teaches us so that we may attain eternal life. Through the Sacraments, she nourishes and sustains us in our journey to the eternal kingdom of God, and heals us when we fall into sin. Through her other children, our brothers and sisters in Christ, she supports us in our journey to eternal life. Thus, Holy Mother Church is fully mother as Fr. Neuner described: she gives life created by God in her womb, nourishes the child to make him live and grow, and accompanies him through his life and mission. This is the first, intimate task of every Christian life, Fr. Neuner wrote. (p131) Why?

It is because every Christian is a member of Christ’s Body, the Church. Having received from Holy Mother Church, we are bound to give to others what we have received. Christ’s commission to proclaim the Good News and make disciples from all nations (Mk. 16:15; Mt. 28:19) exempts no members of the Church. We are to embrace the mission of the Church, and live out the spiritual motherhood of the Church. How? Mary is our exemplar.

“Like Mary, who first believed by accepting the word of God revealed to her at the Annunciation and by remaining faithful to that word in all her trials even unto the Cross” (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, #43), we are to believe the Word of God transmitted by Holy Mother Church (through Bible reading, hearing it proclaimed at Mass); ponder upon it, respond freely to it, and remain faithful to the Word in trials and temptations. We avail ourselves of Christ’s help to do this by regularly receiving the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. Then, we are able to live out the Gospel that we are called to preach, and so proclaim Christ’s salvation to others, that they may also believe and be born again spiritually. In this way, we make the Church a mother, while fulfilling Christ’s command to us.

Fr. Neuner concluded, “Mary, model of the Church, is great not by her works but through believing God’s message, responding to it, giving God’s Word its earthly life and offering it to the world.” (Neuner, p55) We, children of Holy Mother Church, are called to do the same.

Next week, we shall hear a true story of how the motherhood of the Church is lived out, and see how it impacts our lives today.

References:

Catechism of the Catholic Church

John Paul II. (25 March 1987). Redemptoris Mater. On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church.

Neuner, J. (2004). Mary – Mother of the Saviour. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India.


Vatican Council II. (21 November 1964). Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium.