MARY,  MOTHER  of  GOD                                  

Numbers 6:22-27

Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:16-21

MARY, MOTHER of GOD  When I was in graduate school, I researched the varied background and emphasis of this day in the history of the Church.   Most of us know it as New Year’s Day.  But just in the past century it has been the Octave Day of Christmas, the Feast of the Circumcision,  the Naming of Jesus,  and as we celebrate it today, Mary, Mother of God.  In the ‘60’s, Paul VI designated this as Day of Prayer for World Peace.  Feeling a need to be attentive to each of these, I will preach today for 30 minutes (5 min on each feast!) so that I can say something about each of these feasts.  
 

Mary, Mother of God.   Mother is one who provides life and cares for, or takes care of others.  While it might be romantic to reflect on the historical Mary of Nazareth, a young teenager caring for her baby, this feastday, like any Marian feast,  is just as much about us.  Mary is model of Church.  She is what we are called to be.

Mother – one who provides life.  Mary provided human life, human flesh for our God.  If Jesus is to be born into our world, if He is to have flesh in this new century, then it will be because we have chosen to be “His mother”.   If Christ is to hear the cry of the poor and needy, it is because we lend out ears.   If Jesus is to reach out with a healing touch  to embrace  those in pain and suffering, it is our arms that he will use.  If God is to walk with those who struggle and sometimes falter in the spiritual journey, it is because we have given our feet.  Jesus will be incarnate (in the flesh) in this decade if we provide the flesh.

This feast day challenges us to renew our commitment to carry on the role of Mary, the mission of the Church, into the New Year.  Mary, because she said “yes”, changed the world because she said “yes” and became the Mother of God.  May we have the courage she did and say “yes” to God’s invite to enflesh the Divine Son once again.

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