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Vatican II (1962-1965) and Paul VI (1970): Mary, an essential and indispensable element of Christian faith.The Vatican II Council (1962-1965) made a ‘biblical’ choice, addressing the issue of Mary not in a separate document but within the document on the Church. This led to two obligations: one cannot speak of the Church without speaking of Mary, and one cannot speak of Mary without speaking of the Church. The Mother of Jesus is, therefore, an essential element for the Church.Pope Paul VI, in 1970, stated:“«If we want to be Christians, we must be Marian, that is, we must recognize the essential, vital, providential relationship that binds Our Lady to Jesus and that opens the way for us to know Him.»”Thus, the Roman Catholic Church is convinced that Mary of Nazareth, the Holy Mother of the Lord, is not the center but is central to Christian faith. Embracing the Mother of God is responding to the question that Jesus asks His disciples:“«But who do you say I am?»” (Mark 8:29, Matthew 16:15, Luke 9:20)The testament of Jesus on the Cross (John 19:25-27): the Christological question of Mark 8:29 and the Marian identity of faithJesus’ question, found in John 19:25-27, alongside the cross, finds response in the words:“«Together at the cross of Jesus were his mother, Mary his sister, Mary Magdalene, and the disciple whom he loved. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘Behold your mother.'”A biblical testimony in favor of the ‘Marian’ dimension of our faith in Christ is evident. It is the testament of Jesus, who says to His Mother: “Behold, your Son,” and to the disciple: “Behold, your Mother.”Mary is present, alongside, near the Crucified, with other women and the beloved disciple. They represent the rest of Israel’s faith embracing the tragedy of Calvary in God’s paradoxical love. On the mountain of death, we see the sacrifice of the Son, but also, existentially, the sacrifice of maternal love (compassion).Beyond all interpretations of filial love, seeking to leave Mary in the care of the disciple, there is a profound theological intention.The Deep Intention of the Universal SaviorJesus is the interpreter of the Father:“No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is in the Father’s embrace, has made him known” (John 1:18).Jesus reveals the Father’s will perfectly to the world and is the full expression of the Holy Spirit.On the cross, we find a double interpretation (revelation) of Jesus.Jesus reveals to the Mother and the disciple:[Mother] All the disciples are your sons[Son] Mary’s motherhood is universalThese particularly moving words constitute a scene of revelation, as they reveal Christ’s profound feelings as He dies on the cross and contain a wealth of meanings for faith and Christian spirituality. The crucified Messiah establishes new relationships of love between Mary and the Christians.Jesus is the Prophet of the FatherSee, Say, Behold, RevelationJesus sees the Mother| declares: Behold, your Son| Jesus sees the disciple| declares: Behold, your MotherThis is a revelation, but of what? Saint John Paul II answers:“Jesus does not simply hand over His Mother to the disciple, but hands over the disciple to Mary, giving her a new mission of motherhood.”Mary as the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the universal Mother: John 6:63 and the constitution of spiritual Mother on CalvaryIf we take the Scriptures as a whole, Mary is recognized as the figure of the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the Woman and universal Mother. On Calvary, the Son creates the Mother, for Jesus, as God, creates that which He says, not merely words, but Spirit and Life:(John 6:63)««The Spirit is what gives life, the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life»» (John 6:63). In this sense, Mary is constituted the spiritual Mother of the disciple, and the disciple is constituted the spiritual son of Mary.Saint John Paul II comments:«Jesus founds, with those words, the Marian cult in the Church, to which He makes His will clear: that Mary should receive a sincere filial love from every disciple, of whom she is Mother by institution of Jesus» (on the Gospel of John, 19:27b).««Take Mary into your heart»» (John 19:27b): welcoming Mary into the depths of one’s being, the horizon of one’s apostolate.How does the beloved disciple respond to the Master’s dying testament?The Evangelist writes:«From that moment, the disciple welcomed her into what was his» (John 19:27b). The original text says: «among his own things». In a modern translation, we might say: he received her into his intimacy. It seems a simple expression, but is the Gospel text devoid of meaning?Consider that this is Jesus’ last will on earth before ascending to the Father, in the Gospel of John.Saint John Paul II continued:«By entrusting himself faithfully to Mary, the Christian, like the Apostle John, welcomes ‘among his own things’ the Mother of Christ and introduces her into every corner of his interior life, that is, into his human and Christian ‘self’: he took her into himself. It is a communion of life that is established between them through Christ» (on the Gospel of John).Seeking a translation:– «among his own things»: This phrase signifies a moral, religious, spiritual ownership of a very personal character. Other passages in the Gospel of John also use this expression to convey this same meaning.
– «received her in his home»: This attempt at translation does not capture the essence of the text, or at least, does not fully convey the meaning of the text, given the theological-spiritual depth that rises above a mere logistical sense.
– «received her in his inner space»: This union of faith with Christ creates the vital environment to welcome the Master’s legacy: the Spirit and His Mother, who are received not by choice of the disciple but by integrity of faith.
– «a spiritual home»: Saint John Paul II, in his teaching, encourages us to «welcome Mary into our lives, into our hearts, into our life, into the inner sanctuary of our priesthood, into the sanctuary of our baptismal life» (on the spiritual home of Mary).St. John, the beloved son, took Mary in her own home. Thus it is in the translation. But the Greek text is much deeper, much richer. We could translate: took Mary into the depths of her life, of her being, eis tà idia, into the very core of her being. To take Mary with him means to introduce her into the dynamism of his entire existence, not as an external thing, and it is in all this that constitutes the horizon of his apostolate.
Pope Francis
These words of Jesus on the eve of his death do not primarily express a concern for the Mother, but rather a formula of revelation that unveils the mystery of a special salvific mission. Jesus leaves us his Mother as our Mother. Only after doing this did Jesus feel that ‘all was accomplished’ (Jn 19:28). At the foot of the cross, in the supreme hour of new creation, Christ leads us to Mary. He leads us to her because he does not want us to walk without a Mother, and the people see in that maternal image all the mysteries of the Gospel. It is not pleasing to the Lord that his Church should lack a feminine figure.
To deepen biblical theology of devotion to Mary, consult the Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus by Paul VI on Marian devotion in the life of the Church.
Do you want to deepen your formation in Mariology? Get to know the Graduate Program in Mariology from Locus Mariologicus, an academic formation that combines theological rigor, spiritual life, and the living tradition of the Church.
This article arises from the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Graduate Program in Mariology takes you to the same sources, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary issues.
In Mary’s face, we contemplate Christ’s face. A mariological meditation on the relationship between Mother and Son in Christian faith. Deepen this reflection.
Learn from Mary the art of the Trinitarian mystical prayer, according to John Paul II, and discover how Christian holiness is lived simply in daily life.
The Marian Principle reveals Mary as a constitutive figure of the Church. Explore her presence at the cross and her spiritual motherhood that grounds the emerging Church.
Mary, Servant of the Lord, illuminates the meaning of life, faith, and Christian mission in the world. She deepens the beauty of the Marian vocation to serve the baptized.
The Vatican II Council (1962-1965) made a ‘biblical’ choice, addressing the issue of Mary not in a separate document but within the document on the Church. This led to two obligations: one cannot speak of the Church without speaking of Mary, and one cannot speak of Mary without speaking of the Church. The Mother of Jesus is, therefore, an essential element for the Church.Pope Paul VI, in 1970, stated:“«If we want to be Christians, we must be Marian, that is, we must recognize the essential, vital, providential relationship that binds Our Lady to Jesus and that opens the way for us to know Him.»”Thus, the Roman Catholic Church is convinced that Mary of Nazareth, the Holy Mother of the Lord, is not the center but is central to Christian faith. Embracing the Mother of God is responding to the question that Jesus asks His disciples:“«But who do you say I am?»” (Mark 8:29, Matthew 16:15, Luke 9:20)The testament of Jesus on the Cross (John 19:25-27): the Christological question of Mark 8:29 and the Marian identity of faithJesus’ question, found in John 19:25-27, alongside the cross, finds response in the words:“«Together at the cross of Jesus were his mother, Mary his sister, Mary Magdalene, and the disciple whom he loved. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘Behold your mother.'”A biblical testimony in favor of the ‘Marian’ dimension of our faith in Christ is evident. It is the testament of Jesus, who says to His Mother: “Behold, your Son,” and to the disciple: “Behold, your Mother.”Mary is present, alongside, near the Crucified, with other women and the beloved disciple. They represent the rest of Israel’s faith embracing the tragedy of Calvary in God’s paradoxical love. On the mountain of death, we see the sacrifice of the Son, but also, existentially, the sacrifice of maternal love (compassion).Beyond all interpretations of filial love, seeking to leave Mary in the care of the disciple, there is a profound theological intention.The Deep Intention of the Universal SaviorJesus is the interpreter of the Father:“No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is in the Father’s embrace, has made him known” (John 1:18).Jesus reveals the Father’s will perfectly to the world and is the full expression of the Holy Spirit.On the cross, we find a double interpretation (revelation) of Jesus.Jesus reveals to the Mother and the disciple:[Mother] All the disciples are your sons[Son] Mary’s motherhood is universalThese particularly moving words constitute a scene of revelation, as they reveal Christ’s profound feelings as He dies on the cross and contain a wealth of meanings for faith and Christian spirituality. The crucified Messiah establishes new relationships of love between Mary and the Christians.Jesus is the Prophet of the FatherSee, Say, Behold, RevelationJesus sees the Mother| declares: Behold, your Son| Jesus sees the disciple| declares: Behold, your MotherThis is a revelation, but of what? Saint John Paul II answers:“Jesus does not simply hand over His Mother to the disciple, but hands over the disciple to Mary, giving her a new mission of motherhood.”Mary as the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the universal Mother: John 6:63 and the constitution of spiritual Mother on CalvaryIf we take the Scriptures as a whole, Mary is recognized as the figure of the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the Woman and universal Mother. On Calvary, the Son creates the Mother, for Jesus, as God, creates that which He says, not merely words, but Spirit and Life:(John 6:63)««The Spirit is what gives life, the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life»» (John 6:63). In this sense, Mary is constituted the spiritual Mother of the disciple, and the disciple is constituted the spiritual son of Mary.Saint John Paul II comments:«Jesus founds, with those words, the Marian cult in the Church, to which He makes His will clear: that Mary should receive a sincere filial love from every disciple, of whom she is Mother by institution of Jesus» (on the Gospel of John, 19:27b).««Take Mary into your heart»» (John 19:27b): welcoming Mary into the depths of one’s being, the horizon of one’s apostolate.How does the beloved disciple respond to the Master’s dying testament?The Evangelist writes:«From that moment, the disciple welcomed her into what was his» (John 19:27b). The original text says: «among his own things». In a modern translation, we might say: he received her into his intimacy. It seems a simple expression, but is the Gospel text devoid of meaning?Consider that this is Jesus’ last will on earth before ascending to the Father, in the Gospel of John.Saint John Paul II continued:«By entrusting himself faithfully to Mary, the Christian, like the Apostle John, welcomes ‘among his own things’ the Mother of Christ and introduces her into every corner of his interior life, that is, into his human and Christian ‘self’: he took her into himself. It is a communion of life that is established between them through Christ» (on the Gospel of John).Seeking a translation:– «among his own things»: This phrase signifies a moral, religious, spiritual ownership of a very personal character. Other passages in the Gospel of John also use this expression to convey this same meaning.
– «received her in his home»: This attempt at translation does not capture the essence of the text, or at least, does not fully convey the meaning of the text, given the theological-spiritual depth that rises above a mere logistical sense.
– «received her in his inner space»: This union of faith with Christ creates the vital environment to welcome the Master’s legacy: the Spirit and His Mother, who are received not by choice of the disciple but by integrity of faith.
– «a spiritual home»: Saint John Paul II, in his teaching, encourages us to «welcome Mary into our lives, into our hearts, into our life, into the inner sanctuary of our priesthood, into the sanctuary of our baptismal life» (on the spiritual home of Mary).St. John, the beloved son, took Mary in her own home. Thus it is in the translation. But the Greek text is much deeper, much richer. We could translate: took Mary into the depths of her life, of her being, eis tà idia, into the very core of her being. To take Mary with him means to introduce her into the dynamism of his entire existence, not as an external thing, and it is in all this that constitutes the horizon of his apostolate.
The Vatican II Council (1962-1965) made a ‘biblical’ choice, addressing the issue of Mary not in a separate document but within the document on the Church. This led to two obligations: one cannot speak of the Church without speaking of Mary, and one cannot speak of Mary without speaking of the Church. The Mother of Jesus is, therefore, an essential element for the Church.Pope Paul VI, in 1970, stated:“«If we want to be Christians, we must be Marian, that is, we must recognize the essential, vital, providential relationship that binds Our Lady to Jesus and that opens the way for us to know Him.»”Thus, the Roman Catholic Church is convinced that Mary of Nazareth, the Holy Mother of the Lord, is not the center but is central to Christian faith. Embracing the Mother of God is responding to the question that Jesus asks His disciples:“«But who do you say I am?»” (Mark 8:29, Matthew 16:15, Luke 9:20)The testament of Jesus on the Cross (John 19:25-27): the Christological question of Mark 8:29 and the Marian identity of faithJesus’ question, found in John 19:25-27, alongside the cross, finds response in the words:“«Together at the cross of Jesus were his mother, Mary his sister, Mary Magdalene, and the disciple whom he loved. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘Behold your mother.'”A biblical testimony in favor of the ‘Marian’ dimension of our faith in Christ is evident. It is the testament of Jesus, who says to His Mother: “Behold, your Son,” and to the disciple: “Behold, your Mother.”Mary is present, alongside, near the Crucified, with other women and the beloved disciple. They represent the rest of Israel’s faith embracing the tragedy of Calvary in God’s paradoxical love. On the mountain of death, we see the sacrifice of the Son, but also, existentially, the sacrifice of maternal love (compassion).Beyond all interpretations of filial love, seeking to leave Mary in the care of the disciple, there is a profound theological intention.The Deep Intention of the Universal SaviorJesus is the interpreter of the Father:“No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is in the Father’s embrace, has made him known” (John 1:18).Jesus reveals the Father’s will perfectly to the world and is the full expression of the Holy Spirit.On the cross, we find a double interpretation (revelation) of Jesus.Jesus reveals to the Mother and the disciple:[Mother] All the disciples are your sons[Son] Mary’s motherhood is universalThese particularly moving words constitute a scene of revelation, as they reveal Christ’s profound feelings as He dies on the cross and contain a wealth of meanings for faith and Christian spirituality. The crucified Messiah establishes new relationships of love between Mary and the Christians.Jesus is the Prophet of the FatherSee, Say, Behold, RevelationJesus sees the Mother| declares: Behold, your Son| Jesus sees the disciple| declares: Behold, your MotherThis is a revelation, but of what? Saint John Paul II answers:“Jesus does not simply hand over His Mother to the disciple, but hands over the disciple to Mary, giving her a new mission of motherhood.”Mary as the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the universal Mother: John 6:63 and the constitution of spiritual Mother on CalvaryIf we take the Scriptures as a whole, Mary is recognized as the figure of the new Zion, New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lord, the Woman and universal Mother. On Calvary, the Son creates the Mother, for Jesus, as God, creates that which He says, not merely words, but Spirit and Life:(John 6:63)««The Spirit is what gives life, the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life»» (John 6:63). In this sense, Mary is constituted the spiritual Mother of the disciple, and the disciple is constituted the spiritual son of Mary.Saint John Paul II comments:«Jesus founds, with those words, the Marian cult in the Church, to which He makes His will clear: that Mary should receive a sincere filial love from every disciple, of whom she is Mother by institution of Jesus» (on the Gospel of John, 19:27b).««Take Mary into your heart»» (John 19:27b): welcoming Mary into the depths of one’s being, the horizon of one’s apostolate.How does the beloved disciple respond to the Master’s dying testament?The Evangelist writes:«From that moment, the disciple welcomed her into what was his» (John 19:27b). The original text says: «among his own things». In a modern translation, we might say: he received her into his intimacy. It seems a simple expression, but is the Gospel text devoid of meaning?Consider that this is Jesus’ last will on earth before ascending to the Father, in the Gospel of John.Saint John Paul II continued:«By entrusting himself faithfully to Mary, the Christian, like the Apostle John, welcomes ‘among his own things’ the Mother of Christ and introduces her into every corner of his interior life, that is, into his human and Christian ‘self’: he took her into himself. It is a communion of life that is established between them through Christ» (on the Gospel of John).Seeking a translation:– «among his own things»: This phrase signifies a moral, religious, spiritual ownership of a very personal character. Other passages in the Gospel of John also use this expression to convey this same meaning.
– «received her in his home»: This attempt at translation does not capture the essence of the text, or at least, does not fully convey the meaning of the text, given the theological-spiritual depth that rises above a mere logistical sense.
– «received her in his inner space»: This union of faith with Christ creates the vital environment to welcome the Master’s legacy: the Spirit and His Mother, who are received not by choice of the disciple but by integrity of faith.
– «a spiritual home»: Saint John Paul II, in his teaching, encourages us to «welcome Mary into our lives, into our hearts, into our life, into the inner sanctuary of our priesthood, into the sanctuary of our baptismal life» (on the spiritual home of Mary).St. John, the beloved son, took Mary in her own home. Thus it is in the translation. But the Greek text is much deeper, much richer. We could translate: took Mary into the depths of her life, of her being, eis tà idia, into the very core of her being. To take Mary with him means to introduce her into the dynamism of his entire existence, not as an external thing, and it is in all this that constitutes the horizon of his apostolate.
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