Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament

The month of May is here: the month of Mother’s Day, the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and for this year of 2024 the month of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. What powerful and beautiful themes our Lord has given us in this present time!

On Mother’s Day families honor their mothers, thanking them in a particular way for allthey do for us and for all they have given us. Where would each of us be without our mother? We were given the gift of life within our mother’s womb; we were nourished and grew within the sanctuary of her body; and when the time came each of our mothers endured labor pains to birth us into the world. This was only the beginning!

Throughout our youth our mothers continued to give of themselves so that we could grow and flourish – meals, laundry, and support in academic, extracurricular, and emotional needs. By their example and prayers we have grown into our responsibilities and learned, like them, to give generously of ourselves to others. Thanks be to God for the feminine genius lived out in the vocation of motherhood!

Madone by Herman Richir

One of the greatest titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary is “Mother of God”. This is one of the profound mysteries of our Faith: that Mary is a virgin and a mother. She herself marveled at this at the Annunciation: “How can this be, since I know not man?” (Luke 2:34). Yet she believed that “with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 2:37) and because of her “yes” the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity took upon Himself our human nature and became True Man.

Mary is indeed truly His Mother. His Incarnation happened in the sanctuary of her virginal
womb. His Birth was not accompanied with the physical pain our mothers knew, but the circumstances of that night in Bethlehem were very humble. He was nourished and nurtured by Mary throughout His childhood, adolescence, and adulthood more perfectly than our mothers give of themselves to us. At the Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary invited her Son to begin the miracles of His public ministry: “They have no wine” (John 2:3). Jesus accepted the responsibility of His miracles and ministry given to Him by His Father which would lead to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Mary supported Him in all of this as His First Disciple through her example and prayers.

The three-year Eucharistic Renewal is winding to a close (and we pray it is simply the close of a great beginning!) with a nationwide Eucharistic procession starting on Pentecost, May 19th, and concluding in July. With the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the midst of this on May 30th (liturgically celebrated June 2 in our region), it is fitting to reflect also on Mary as the Mother of the Eucharist. As was just said, it is from Mary that Jesus took His human nature. He has given us this gift of His Humanity united perfectly with His Divinity in the Most Holy Eucharist. In every Tabernacle and on the Altar at every Mass throughout the world, He is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This gift is given to us through Mary’s “yes” to her vocation as the Mother of God. Where would we be without Mary, the Mother of the Eucharist and the Mother of the Church?

May Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, intercede for us. May she draw us ever closer to the Eucharistic Heart of Her Son. May she obtain for us through our Holy Communions the grace to live our vocations as mothers!

Virgen del Buen Camino