Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Solemnity (1969 Calendar): January 1
Double of the II Class (1955 Calendar): January 1

Today we celebrate a very important feastday in the year. According to the 1969 Calendar, today is called the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. According to the Traditional Catholic Calendar of the Saints from 1955, today is called the Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In both calendars today is the Octave Day of Christmas. Today is also usually a Holy Day of Obligation. Today we proclaim Mary as the Mother of God, not just Jesus, but God. And by celebrating Mary as the Mother of God, we also reaffirm the truth of Jesus Christ being both true man and true God (the two natures of Christ). In 431, the Third General Council of the Church at Ephesus defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God. Thus, this must be believed by all Catholics. If a person would deny that Mary is the Mother of God, this person would not be a Catholic.

Before the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, today was called the Feast of the Circumcision. We still remember Jesus' Presentation in the temple eight days after his birth when He was circumcised and given the holy name of Jesus (Luke 2:21).

Mary, Mother of God - Catechism of the Catholic Church:

495 Called in the Gospels "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord." In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God".

On January 1, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI said:

The first day of the year is placed under the sign of a woman, Mary. The Evangelist Luke describes her as the silent Virgin who listens constantly to the eternal Word, who lives in the Word of God. Mary treasures in her heart the words that come from God and, piecing them together as in a mosaic, learns to understand them.

Let us too, at her school, learn to become attentive and docile disciples of the Lord. With her motherly help, let us commit ourselves to working enthusiastically in the "workshop" of peace, following Christ, the Prince of Peace.

After the example of the Blessed Virgin, may we let ourselves be guided always and only by Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever! (Heb 13: 8). Amen.

Prayer:

O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast bestowed upon mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, though whom we have been made worthy to receive the Author of Life, Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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