(Reflection brevis on the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God)
We are at the threshold of the New
Year (2018), and it is frankly motivating beginning the year by confessing the
Sovereignty of God and the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We celebrate
today the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and a perusal into the readings
of this day suggests two sentences that situate us well into the context of
today’s feast: ●One, in the epistle, “God sent forth his Son… born of a woman”.
●Two, in the gospel, “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her
heart”. Though this sentence is not in direct connection with the title:
“Mother of God”, but it presents Mary as a model of faith. Therefore, the
solemnity of Mary Mother of God not only reminds us of Mary’s divine Maternity,
but also it brings to our consideration the admiration and the imitation of
Mary as a model of faith.
The first reading (Num. 6:22-27) presents the Aaronic blessing and this is really a
particularity of the Old Testament anticipation of the Church’s faith in the
Trinity, the threefold “Holy” (cf. Is.
6). In this passage we see the threefold blessing with which to begin this
New Year: ►The Lord bless you and keep you. ►The Lord let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you. ►The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace.
And the three times repetition of “the Lord” points to the divine sovereignty. Indeed,
this threefold blessing is crowned with God’s intention to bless his people,
for in the last verse we read, “They will call down my name…and I will bless
them”. As a matter of fact, in biblical terms, “name” is very important,
especially when it has to do with the name of God, which the Jews considered
unpronounceable. The name in general indicates the whole person, in toto. Thus, with reference to God,
the name of God is associated with his being. As such, to bless in the name of
God, entails invoking upon the people all that God is and all that He has done
and does for his people. Even the responsorial psalm took up again the theme of
God’s blessing on Israel and on us today: “O God be gracious and bless us” (Ps. 67:2a).
The epistle (Gal. 4:4-7) from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians, talks about
the purpose why God sent his Son, that is, “to redeem those who were under the
law”. Therein, we notice the latent stress on being “born of a woman”, which
denotes that his origin is not only from “above”, but also from “below” (He
took flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary). It equally alludes to the maternity
of this “woman”, the Mother of God. Thus, situating us well into the context of
today’s solemnity.
Furthermore, still on the purpose for
the coming of the Son, we deem it fit to underscore that it is not merely an
event of the past, rather it is an event with direct existential importance for
us today. The liberation of man from the bondage of the law, made possible by
the coming of the Son of God, too, is a wonderful and wondrous blessing! The
Son of God became man so that we may become sons and daughters of God. And this
becoming, is a process, and not a momentary conquest, for it requires us to
live everyday like sons and daughters of God. Thus, “agitur seguitur esse” (i.e.
our actions have to correspond with our being, our filial status in God.
The gospel reading (Lk. 2:16-21) of today summarily
highlights the two important historical events in the life of Jesus: the
circumcision and the naming of Jesus. However, when we go back to the preceding
verse to the gospel text of toady, where the shepherds say to one another,
“let’s go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us” (Lk.2:16), and in verse 20 the evangelist says: “the shepherds went back glorifying
and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told”.
The
angel announced to the shepherds “A savior has been born for you, who is the
Messiah, the Lord”. Even though the sovereignty of the Messiah is not readily
seen in the Child, rather all seem to give evidence to his submission to the
law of the people, as in the second reading. Indeed, the truth remains that the
Son of God, becoming a baby in the womb of the Blessed Mother Mary, and being
born in Bethlehem of Judah, manifests his sovereignty in a most humble manner.
Above all else however, in the first
reading the word of God says “so shall they put my name upon the sons of
Israel, and I will bless them” (Num.
6:27) and in the gospel we are presented with the naming of the Child of
Bethlehem, who was named JESUS, a name which means Yahweh saves. Be that as it
may, beginning the New Year with this double invocation of God’s name and the
name of Jesus surely paves way for innumerable blessings and favor. Indeed, the
Lord who has wrought wonders in the history of the chosen people, will continue
to do it even in our own time and in our life.
And may our
Blessed Mother Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God
continue to accompany us in our earthly sojourn!
May she (Mary) who
is an embodiment of God’s blessings attract God’s blessings to us!
May we all be
assured of her intercession this New Year and beyond!!!
(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu)
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