Mary, Mother of God Solemnity 1st January

An icon of the Theotokos, the Mother of God.
Egg tempera on wood, Central Russia, mid-1800's.

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Mary, Mother of God

Community Mass, Homily by Fr. Aelred

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is the oldest of all Marian celebrations. From very early times had been honoured by the title, Mother of God by the faithful. This title was affirmed at the Council at Ephesus in 431, which led to a still greater increase in veneration and love towards Mary. Formerly the Motherhood of the Virgin was celebrated in October. By moving it to the octave day of Christmas the Church wished to emphasis the close connection of the two feasts. Today we profess our faith in Jesus as truly God, yet truly born  at woman.

In the first reading from the Book of Numbers, the liturgy uses the most solemn benediction that can be found in the OT. The priests of ancient Israel spoke this blessing over the people, an invocation of joy, protection and peace. It was part of the Temple and synagogue liturgies (like our blessing at the end of Mass). There is, of course, no direct connection between this ancient blessing formula and today’s feast. But it fits in well with the guiding meme of today’s readings, which is the fulfilment of the promises through Jesus born of Mary. What the priests invoked in their blessing reaches to the heart of what revealed religion is; divine favour and friendship and happiness and well being flowing from these. This blessing harked back to the promises made to Abraham and to the covenant made thro’ Moses at Sinai. It was a prayer that God’s faithfulness would be recognised and acknowledged.

In the 2^nd Reading St. Paul tells us that God’s saving plan has reached fruition, the sending forth at the Son marks the fullness at time. Paul says that God gas sent Jesus, Son of God and Saviour, to all who will believe. Yet Jesus is born of a woman, like all of us, Jesus had a human mother, to redeem us he shared our nature and the conditions of our birth – so that we might ‘receive adoption’ and become children of God. We are constituted children of God by receiving the Spirit of the Son and thus becoming one with him. Through the Spirit we can address God as Jesus himself did, Abba, Father. And as children of God, we have rights; we share in the inheritance of Christ, the glorious life of communion with the Father.

In the Gospel the shepherds, informed by the angels at the birth of the Saviour, went in haste to verify what they had been told – Just as Mary had went in haste to visit Elizabeth. They share the same spontaneous trust in God.

We are given the impression that the shepherds had plenty to say about what they had seen and heard. In contrast, Mary kept all these happenings to herself, treasuring them and pondering over them. For Luke, Mary already is the first Christian believer – she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’ And in Mary’s final appearance in the Scriptures – with the apostles at prayer at Pentecost - her role seems to be that of the one who contemplates, considers and holds in her heart all that happens. Her receiving at God’s word continues throughout her Son’s life and beyond.

As we begin 2013 we cannot foresee what the New Year will hold for us or even if we will see its end. But we have this certitude: that we are children of God which makes us theirs, by God’s design. So day after day, throughout this year, we must seek to become what we really are.