There is a saying, “without a mother, there is no life”. It is the mother’s womb that takes care of us for nine months and throughout our lives, the mother continues to care for us. Even if we reach 50, 60, or even 70 years old, in the eyes of a mother, we are still their children in need of care.

In 2018 Pope Francis declared the day after Pentecost as the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. We must remember that Jesus founded only one Church on earth. He said, “Peter, you are the rock and on this rock I will build my Church and not even the gates of the netherworld will prevail over it.”

However, while victory is assured by God, look at what the Church has to deal with these days.

• Loss of Moral Compass.  We have a crisis of truth. We do not know what is right or what is wrong. Even worse, the wrong is accepted because it will make our lives better and the right is persecuted because the ways of the world are different from the ways of God. 
• Persecution of Family. In the end days, Satan will try to destroy the family. Just look at what is being pushed now – Divorce, Euthanasia, Abortion, Homosexual Marriage, and Total Population Control.
• Spiritual Warfare.  The Church is the most persecuted institution worldwide. We say that the Philippines is majority Catholic, yet the Church is constantly persecuted. Even priests have been getting killed. It is surely an evil force behind those.

Today we celebrate Mary Mother of the Church and three things we remember:

1. The Church is not the building, it is the people – laity and the ordained.
2. The Church, despite all the persecutions, which is really part of the life, should continue to speak the truth.
3. Do not be afraid. We have a mother, praying with us, praying for us.