Mary, Mother of God Homily

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God which brings about the conclusion of the Octave of Christmas.

As we begin this new year many concern themselves with many resolutions: exercise, lose weight, learn a new hobby, etc. As we start this new year the Church puts us face to face with Mary. She spends her life contemplating her Son and living her life for Him. We too should seek her intercession in order that we may spend this year making Christ her Son more manifest in our life for He is God made Flesh.

One title that the Church has given to Mary is the “Theotokos” which is Greek for “God-bearer.” This title accurately points the way towards her Son’s Divinity. He was not just fully human, but also fully divine.

We see this title first used in the third century in what should be a familiar prayer (if you do not know it, I would recommend that you learn it and pray it), the Memorare: “We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God: despite not our petitions in our necessitates, but deliver us from all evil, O glorious and blessed Virgin.”

It was at the Council of Ephesus in 431 that the title “Mother of God” was affirmed. This is not to say that Mary is the mother of God the Father or God the Holy Spirit or the Most Holy Trinity. She is the mother of Jesus who is the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. She does not give birth to His humanity alone, but also His Divinity. This is so because these two realities cannot be separated from one another.

As Elizabeth exclaimed at the Visitation, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Truly through Mary we come in order to encounter the Lord. Devotion to her always leads its way back towards her Son. She keeps nothing for herself because she is always pouring forth everything to her child.

Let us continue to invoke the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God. As she came to give birth to the Savior of the World may He be brought to birth within the depths of our own soul. For Him we should live in true humility and obedience. Mary was found humble and obedient to all that God asked of her. Let us follow in her path in order that we too may be found prepared for eternal salvation.

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!