Is Mary the Mother of All?

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (Jn. 19:26-27)

There is a theory that the author of the Gospel of John does not name the beloved disciple because he wants the individual to be the idealized example of the perfect disciple of Jesus.  Though he was most certainly a real historical person, if he was named then his actions throughout the Gospel would seem to belong wholly to another person and not necessarily someone whose shoes we are called to walk in.  By giving him a simple title the author invites us to want to be a “beloved disciple.”

As such it would appear that the Gospel teaches us that the disciples of Jesus are to embrace Mary as our own mother and that she will embrace us as her own sons and daughters.