The Blessed Virgin Mary
Mother of God
What better way to start out the New Year, than by spending a little time with Our Mother?
While this solemnity is a Holy Day of Obligation under normal circumstances, at least in my diocese it is absorbed onto the weekend. However, as Fr. Seda said, it's still a Holy Day of Opportunity!
The great thing about this feast, the great thing that so many Catholics even don't get, is that we are celebrating today how Our Lady protected her son, Our Lord, and how she continues to protect him for all eternity.
I know, I know, how can a human protect God?
Well, the thing is, the conciliar declaration of Mary as Θεοτοκοσ (Theotokos - God Bearer) is very important to our understanding of who Christ is, the hypostatic union and all that. See, back then, and even today, many people are tempted to call Mary the "Mother of Christ," or Χριστοτοκοσ (Christotokos - Christ Bearer). Much of this today comes from an unwillingness to put Mary in such a high position, to give her so much honor.
Lucky for us, her Son already did that for us!
Mary didn't just clothe Christ in a human nature. She is not just the mother of His human part. His humanity is a nature (he has both human and divine natures). Natures don't have mothers, though they are given to us by our mothers (and our fathers). She gave that to Him when He chose her as His Mother.
Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is God.
Mary is the Mother of God.
In her maternity, she does what all mothers do, protect their children. Naming Mary as Mother of God does not exalt her, but rather verifies and confirms that Jesus the Man is God. Saying that she is the Mother of Christ, while easier to comprehend, allows us to say such silly things as "God used a puppet," or "God put on a human suit," et cetera, saying basically that Mary gave birth to something that wasn't really him, just a nature, just a body.
Bodies don't have mothers, natures don't have mothers, people do. Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, God, is the son of Mary, in His entirety or not at all. Saying that Mary is the mother of God is just another way of saying that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man.
We give Mary no greater honor that that given to her be her son, rather we recognize that all generations shall call her blessed, for the Almighty has done great things to her, and Holy is His Name. To honor Mary is to join with her son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ever-Virgin Mary,
Theotokos Full-of-Grace,
As Our Savior was born to you,
So let us be born into his mystical body by your intercession.
Teach us to truly love your son,
And give us the strength to echo your "Fiat" when He calls.
Mary, Mother of the Word-Made-Flesh, Pray for Us!
