Jesus' commissioning a woman and a disciple to be filial to one another at the crucifixion is too excruciating to be refuted. It opens a sublime horizon of a divinely instituted relationship and mission. Seeing His mother and the disciple He loved standing near her, Jesus said to His mother, "Woman, this is your son." Then to the disciple He said, "This is your mother."

The 'son' in the passage of the crucifixion, understandably refers to us, the Church. Jesus, hanging on the cross in the depth of suffering, looked upon all of creation with the eyes of love. He then missioned Mary, His mother, to be our mother and we in turn are missioned to accept her as our mother.

In the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost which we celebrated yesterday, the early Church gathered around the Blessed Mother at Pentecost, both the Church and the Blessed Mother accepted the mission of the crucified Jesus on the cross. It is a public witness of giving what has been poured to our hands - a revered mother and an honorable mission.

Let us turn to our Blessed Mother and ask her to intercede for the Church that as a Body of Christ, we stay united, and even in times of deep sorrow and confusion we will be able to heed God's mission deep in our hearts.