Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

“At the beginning, at the center of the event of the Incarnation stands Mary, the perfect handmaid, who consents to become physically and spiritually the mother of her Son as well as of his work” (The Office of Peter and the Structure of the Church, Hans Urs Von Balthasar, 2007, Ignatius Press, San Francisco). It is no surprise, then, that our Blessed Mother, the New Eve, is so prominently featured in the Christmas story.

Pope Benedict XVI wrote that “Mary becomes a mother through her ‘yes.’ The Church Fathers sometimes expressed this by saying that Mary conceived through her ear–that is to say: through her hearing. Through her obedience, the Word entered into her and became fruitful in her. In this connection, the Fathers developed the idea of God’s birth in us through faith and baptism, in which the Lógos comes to us ever anew, making us God’s children” (Jesus of Nazareth-The Infancy Narratives, 2012, Libreria Editrice Vaticana). Let us pray that through Mary’s intercession, Christ may be born in our hearts again and that we may truly be God’s children.

“Father, source of light in every age, the virgin conceived and bore your Son who is called Wonderful God, Prince of Peace. May her prayer, the gift of a mother’s love, be your people’s joy through all ages. May her response, born of a humble heart, draw your Spirit to rest on your people. Grant this through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.”

(from Morning Prayer, Liturgy of the Hours, January 1)

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Artfor this post on Mary: Detail of a stained glass window of the Holy Family, depicting Madonna and child (right part of the window), Andreas F. Borchert Photo, Location=Church of the Immaculate Conception, Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland, 23 September 2010, CC, Wikimedia Commons.

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