Word to the Wise
Monday, January 1, 2024 - Jan. 1: The Octave Day of Christmas: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God - ABC
[Num 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21]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] And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. [Luke]
In the civil calendar, Mother's Day occurs in May. In the liturgical calendar, it occurs on January 1 (and other days, too). The old song might be rephrased to sing, "M is for the many names we give her....." But the title of Mother of God comes ahead of all the others and was the subject of fierce dispute at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., which bestowed the title of theotokos (God-bearer) on her. Some argued that God is eternal and has no mother. Others pointed out that Christ is God and Mary gave birth to him, so she can be rightly called "the Mother of God." The latter argument won the day, but this feast day was not always dedicated to her. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, January 1st was celebrated as the feast of the Circumcision because Jesus became a true Jewish male in that procedure which would occur eight days after birth! Pope Paul VI, in his apostolic letter Marialis Cultus [1974] re-titled the observance.
The Gospel According to Luke shows Mary as the ideal disciple reflecting on the saving event of Jesus' birth. St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians points to the tremendous consequence of Jesus being "born of a woman," which enables us to share in faith his status as the Son of God. All of this is pretty deep theology if we do as Mary did! But we can relate simply on the level of relationship, which the feast of the Holy Family and now the feast of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, offers us. The role of a mother is a deep and complicated one for most of us in thinking about our own mothers. The old expression, "If Mama ain't happy, nobody's happy!" captures it somewhat.
As we celebrate this day (perhaps groggily because of a civil New Year's celebration the night before), we can try to realize what Mary has done for us in taking on the role of Mother of God. It wasn't all joy! Most parents don't expect to outlive their children and she had to endure the suffering of her Son, who placed her in the care of the Beloved Disciple. If we wish everyone a "Happy New Year 2024" today, we might pray that Mary's motherly intercession can help make it so!!! AMEN