There are few feasts or
solemnities in our Church that have the same readings each year, but we start
the new year off with the same readings each year for the solemnity of Mary,
the Mother of God.
In the reading from the
book of Numbers, we hear God give Aaron and his sons, the priests for the
people of Israel, a special blessing they are to give to his people. In this blessing, Lord will bless them and
keep them, to let his face shine down upon them and be gracious to them, to
look upon them kindly and to give them peace.
May we feel this sense of blessing as we start off a new year, feeling
that we are indeed the people of God, called to proclaim his kingdom to all.
From the time of Jesus'
public ministry to the days of the early Church after his death and resurrection,
there was much debate and discussion about Jesus' true identity, about the
extent of his divinity & humanity.
The Council of Ephesus settled this matter in 431, declaring that Jesus
was a divine person with two natures, both human and divine. The Council approached this controversy by
declaring that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the “Theotokos,” the
“God-bearer”.
That the Blessed Virgin
Mary was central in affirming a truth about Jesus shouldn't be surprising to
us, since she always points to her Son and leads us closer to him. Because of Mary's divine maternity, she is
intimately a part of her Son's union with all of humanity that comes about
through his incarnation. By God's grace,
Mary is not only the Mother of God, but she is also our spiritual mother. Like any true mother, Mary carries in heart
many things about us as her children, just as she pondered and held in her
heart the things the shepherds told her about Jesus. Through Mary's example of faithful
discipleship and through her intercessory prayers, we learn from her how to
become true believers in God's holy word, to have hope and love in God. Mary's true devotion as the Mother of God is
not done through meaningless motions or a pious attitude, but in her love,
obedience, faith, hope, & charity.
In his Encyclical
Redemptoris Mater, Pope John Paul II concluded by quoting the Alma Redemptoris
Mater antiphon that is traditionally prayed after night prayer from the first
Sunday in Advent until the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the
Temple. In reflecting on this prayer,
John Paul II states that the Church sees Mary maternally present in the world
today, that she shares in the many complicated problems that beset the lives of
individuals, families, and nations. The
Church sees Mary helping the faithful in the constant struggle between good and
evil. Mary helps to ensure that we do
not fall, or, if we have fallen, that they rise again. May we pray together to
Mary, the Mother of God, asking for her intercessory prayers, for her help
& her guidance:
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
Yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners. AMEN.
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
Yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners. AMEN.
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