Word to the Wise
Sunday, January 2, 2011 - The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
[Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21]When the fullness of tme had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman.....
At the beginning of a new calendar year, the Church reflects on the role of Mary in the plan of salvation. The profound "Marian" theology of our Catholic tradition did not spring full-blown on the scene but took centuries of reflection in the light of the scriptures and developed gradually. To speak of Mary as "Mother of God," one must understand that her motherhood is not seen as if she existed eternally like the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and created that person. On the other hand we must understand St. Paul's statement as inspired truth - that God's Son was "born of a woman."
The gospel of Luke presents Mary as the ideal disciple: And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. These words would be spoken by Jesus later on when he says, "Rather blessed are those who hear and word of God and keep it." At the first General Chapter of the Dominican Order after the Second World War, Pope Pius XII sent a letter which compared preachers as those who give birth to Christ in their proclamation. The great Dominican mystic, Meister Eckhart, is quoted as asking what good was served by Christ's birth centuries ago if he is not born daily within us.
As we reflect on the important role of the Mother of God, we may also realize that we have a role to play in the continual process of giving birth to the truth in the many practical ways of living Christian life on a daily basis. Giving birth can be a painful and difficult process but the result is usually new life and joy. I pray this New Year of 2011 may be one of new life and joy for all my Beloved Congregation. AMEN
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