Mary, Mother of God, Jan 1st

Today, we celebrate Mary, the Mother of God. This title of Mary, Mother of God is the oldest of all the various titles She possesses and considered by many to the greatest of them all. As the Mother of God, the blessed Virgin Mary is exalted above all the angels and saints and She is revered by God’s children on earth. As the Mother of God, Mary watches over all and guides them to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The night of His birth, the shepherds, who watched over their flocks, came upon Mary, His Mother, with Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger. They gazed upon the face of God, as a little Child, as Jesus shed His face upon them, and was gracious to them.

Jesus has a human nature and divine nature. He was not two separate persons, but one person and that one person is divine. The person of Christ is divine. Jesus is God and Mary is His Mother. That’s why we call Mary, Mother of God.

Mary is even described as Mother of God when Elizabeth asked, “Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?” And the word that Elizabeth uses for ‘Lord’ is a word that is used for ‘God’ in the New Testament so there can be no confusion.

So no wonder Elizabeth said to Mary, “Of all women you are the most blessed and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” These inspired words have now become part of that beautiful prayer which we call the ‘Hail Mary.’ Mary became Mother of God once and continues to be mother for all time and for all Christians.

Mary formally received the title Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus in 431. Back then they invoked her saying, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

These words were added to the Hail Mary by Saint Peter Canisius in his 1555 Catechism. 11 years later, the Catechism of the Council of Trent added those words to the Rosary.

Pope Saint John Paul II urged every Christian and especially every Catholic family, to pray the Rosary each day for peace. Throughout history in many of Her approved apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary, has instructed Her children to pray the Rosary every day because She knows how efficacious it is for individual souls and for the salvation of the entire world.

The Virgin Mary at Medjugorje came as the Queen of Peace. She said, “If you pray the Rosary as a family, I will work miracles in your life.”

Make this your New Year resolution to pray the Rosary every day with your family this coming year

Today let us turn to our Mother, the Queen of Peace, and Mother of God and ask Her to help us to resolve to keep close to the Heart of our Mother, who loves us, prays for us, and will ask Her Son for all that we need on our behalf. And so, we pray, Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.