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<v SPEAKER_00>Today, the church celebrates the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There's something very beautiful about this feast day that many Catholics do not know.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The church places this memorial the day after Pentecost.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Think about that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yesterday we celebrated the birth of the church.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Fire comes down.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The power of the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles.

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<v SPEAKER_00>They go out, the mission begins.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And today, immediately after the church is born, the church gives us a mother.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This is not accidental, because every family needs a mother.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This feast was added to the universal calendar by Pope Francis in 2018.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But the truth itself is ancient.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The church has always believed Mary is not only the mother of Jesus, she is the mother of the church.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because she is present at the two great moments of the church's birth.

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<v SPEAKER_00>She's there at the incarnation when Christ takes flesh, and she's there at Pentecost when the church receives the Spirit.

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<v SPEAKER_00>She's at the beginning always.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And she takes us to today's gospel.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Jesus is dying.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The world is collapsing around him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The cross stands before Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And in that one final act, that one final act of his earthly life, Jesus looks down and says, Woman, behold your son.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then he turns to John, behold your mother.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I want you to notice something.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Jesus does not say, John, take care of my mother.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He gives her.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He entrusts her.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The fathers of the church saw John here not simply as John.

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<v SPEAKER_00>John represents every disciple, every baptized Christian.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Meaning at the foot of the cross, Mary becomes mother to all who follow Christ.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And then something fascinating happens in the first reading.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We hear Adam after the fall.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God asks, Where are you?

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<v SPEAKER_00>One of the greatest questions where are you?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Adam hides.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sin enters, fear enters, shame enters, humanity breaks.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then God says something extraordinary to the serpent.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I will put enmity between you and the woman.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The woman.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The church has always read this as the first whisper of Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Eve brought death into the world through disobedience.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mary brings life through obedience.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Eve says yes to the serpent.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mary says yes to God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Eve becomes mother of the fallen, Mary becomes mother of the redeemed.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The first Eve stands near a tree and humanity falls.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The new Eve, Mary, stands near the tree of the cross and salvation enters the world.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Do you see the beauty?

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<v SPEAKER_00>The Bible begins with a woman.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The gospel begins with a woman.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The church begins with a woman.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mary is there every time God begins something new.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Maybe that's the teaching for us today.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because maybe many people think devotion to Mary takes attention away from Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Absolutely not.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It does the opposite.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mary never keeps anything for herself.

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<v SPEAKER_00>At Cana, what does she say?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Do whatever he tells you.

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<v SPEAKER_00>At the cross, she receives us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>At Pentecost, she prays with the apostles.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Her whole life points away from her and towards Christ, her son.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And maybe somebody today listening to this needs to hear this.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The church has a mother, which means nobody walks alone.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Nobody suffers alone.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Nobody carries the cross alone.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because a mother notices, a mother prays, a mother stays.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Everyone ran from Calvary.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mary was there.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That is why Catholics have loved her for 2,000 years.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not because she replaces Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not because she takes us, but because she takes us to him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And I want to end there.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yesterday we prayed, Come, Holy Spirit, come.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Today the church whispers, Take your mother home.

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<v SPEAKER_00>John did.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The gospel says, from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The question today is, have we?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not in theory, not in theology, in life.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because perhaps one of the most beautiful things a Christian can say is this Jesus gave me his mother, and she has never stopped leading me back to her son.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Amen.