The expression "Holy Mother Church" is a seldom used expression in our modern day. By "mother church," people would understand firstly, Protestants in particular, of which denomination came first, or which ministry gave birth to all the other ministries (the answer is clearly Catholic). The term is understood only secondly to be a spiritual caretaker. As a mother would, the Church as an institution gives birth to, educates, and nourishes the believers of the Christian religion. Whatever calamity should befall, the Church is there to nurture as a mother would. It is of little surprise how this understanding of a Mother Church has come to disappear; we only have to look at how individualistic and non-institutional approach to biblical interpretations of the modern world, birthing new heresies equipped only with their "personal relationship with Christ". I wish to briefly discuss the validity of the latter expression, the Church as a caretaker, in this post.
In the quotes verse above, what is meant by "bride" is the whole of the faithful as a community. It therefore connotes the whole of (savable) Christians as congregated in the Christian institution. According to Christian theology, Christ's crucifixion is the redemptive moment of mankind; it is the decisive step toward the New Creation. This moment is rich in metaphorical significance, connecting the events written in the book of Genesis and fulfilling their prophetic truths. There are a couple connections to be made. But one connections relevant to this topic is how the moment created a new "mother of all living" (Gen 3:20). As God opened a wound in Adam to take his rib (Gen 2:21), a wound was made by piercing Christ's side. Christ, then, is the new Adam, and the Church that was birthed from his death and resurrection is the new Eve.
I should digress and I should note quickly here that Virgin Mary is also called the new Eve. And this connection strikes true also, though the Church as the new Eve is an older thought. The divine Nature of God's works can permeate to the physical world in multiple facets. To understand the metaphorical significance to be extracted from the Christian narrative ought not to be constrained by worldly conventions.
Now that the metaphorical significance can be gained from the events written in the Scripture, let us move on to see how the function of the Church can be motherly. First, it provides and nourishes. Like a mother milking her babe the Church feeds the homeless and shelters orphans. Also, thorough the ministering of the Eucharist, the physical form of which is made with "fruit of the earth and work of human hands," the Church nourishes us spiritually. The Church also educates. Through the community members, the Church corrects the wrongdoings we have done. When we run to one of the members of the faith, we are given advice. Sometimes, we are given an advice regardless of whether we are liable to listen, such as in the case of sermons and a true friend telling us just how bad we have been. Thirdly, the Church forgives and offers a shoulder to cry on. Through the sacrament of reconciliation and our friends we find comfort. By supporting one another in actions, and, if too distant, through prayers, we make the Mystical Body of Christ. In this support structure made possible by the Christlike virtues exemplified by its faithful members, the Church maintains its motherly nature.
It goes without saying ,then, the motherly imagery of the Church has been accepted by the tradition for a long time. The imagery not only exists in its functions but also in its architecture. Although this piece of architectural design is not seen commonly in our modern day, but it was the dominant on during the Gothic era. When we look at the doors of Gothic churches, we often see them ornamented with an arch shaped like halved almond. This "almond" imagery shaped like pointed oval is called vesica piscis. Perhaps the perverse modern mind would have a difficult time understanding it charitably, but it is an ancient yonic symbol depicting the female womb. The symbol has long been associated by ancients with how they considered the female womb as a mystical portal between life and non-life. Further, we often see Virgin Mary and Jesus within the full-almond outline. There was a conscious choice in Gothics choosing this design. With this architectural design, after the priest says "go forth the mass is ended," and the congregation replies "thanks be to God," the faithful, charged with the Eucharist, would be metaphorically re-birthing themselves, imitating the resurrection of the body. By exiting the archway, the faithful would be exiting the womb of the Mother Church out unto the world, renewed with the spiritual care given by the liturgy.
From what has been said, the validity of expression can be seen.
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