Reflections on the readings for The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God (January 1, 2020): NM 6:22-27; PS 67:2-3,5,6,8; GAL 4:4-7; LK 2:16-21
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Today we revere the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Mother of God.
This Solemnity is a most fitting start to the New Year. Jesus Christ the Son of God is also truly human, He came into the world through the power of the Holy Spirit with the complete cooperation of Mary who carried and gave birth to the Holy Child. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).
Mary was herself born without sin because of her unique and intimate connection with our Lord and the divine plan for the salvation of the world. She was a faithful child of God and daughter of Abraham. And, with the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel, she opened herself completely to receive God’s grace, obey His will, and permit the Incarnation of Christ in her womb. While she spent the days of Jesus’ childhood and early manhood focused on loving and looking after her Son and the Son of God, the Almighty asked even more of her. From His cross, as Mary stood with her dying Child, our Lord gave her into the care of St. John – and St. John into hers. In truth, Christ made her our mother as well as His own. So when we recite the Hail Mary and say, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners” we are petitioning our own Mother to help us and bring us ever nearer to Jesus, our Redeemer and Brother. Let us honor her as the Mother of God and approach her as the Mother of each one of us, every day of our lives.