First Friday Holy Hour - January 2021 - Mary Mother of the Eucharist

 

This morning at Mass for the Solemnity of the Motherhood of Mary, I reflected upon the beautiful image of the Madonna and Child. Already in the first centuries of the Church, the early Christians revered images of Our Lady holding the Christ Child. It is certainly a fitting image for us to contemplate, especially today on the octave day of Christmas, for this holy season aims at deepening our love and devotion for the Lord. And there has been no greater love for him, no greater devotion to him, than that of his mother. We contemplate the mother’s love for her son, that we might come to love him as she loves him.

Kneeling before the monstrance this evening, we are not limited to an artist’s representation, painted on canvas or on the wall of catacomb. The very word made flesh is present in our midst—the flesh held in the arms of the mother—cradled, nursed, and protected. She invites us to gaze upon him this evening, she invites us to tenderly enter into the stable of Bethlehem, like the shepherds, like the magi, like St. Joseph, like her very self, to quietly enter into Bethlehem to gaze lovingly upon his flesh.

She is the Mother of the Lord and therefore she the Mother of the Eucharist. St. Augustine writes that in the Eucharist "Mary extends and perpetuates Her Divine Maternity"  Wherever the Eucharist is, she is there, lovingly adoring him, inviting us to adore and worship him along with her. It was from her that the Lord took flesh and blood, the very flesh and blood we kneel before this evening. Her love for this Sacrament and her love for Jesus are the very same.

She is both the eternal Eucharistic Monstrance and also the eternal Eucharistic Adorer.

We can be sure that in those places where the Eucharist is profaned and abandoned and treated with little respect, there is also little love for the mother. But in those places where love and devotion to the mother increase, so too will love and devotion to the Eucharist.

We can be sure, too, that Our Lady wants nothing more than the life of her son to become more and more present in us, and so we will pray the rosary this evening, asking her to intercede for us, and for the world, that 2021 may be a year in which many souls return with great devotion and zeal to the eucharist, that the world may know through our Lady’s aid, blessing through Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.