Mary, Mother of God

The Second Reading today is admirable for its brevity yet profundity. In four verses of text the process of Incarnation, adoption and divinisation is summarized. All of these were necessary so the damage inflicted on humans relationship with God, inflicted by the disobedience of our first parents, might be not only healed but transformed. Jesus is born of a woman, thereby taking on our nature, pours out from the Cross the Holy Spirit, also manifested at Pentecost, so that we might take on the divine nature. Already created in the "image and likeness of God" (Gen 1: 26) we are offered the gift of sharing in the life of God, with its power over sin and death, revealed in the Resurrection. This happens through faith: "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he (Christ) gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God." (Jn 1: 12) 

The consent of Mary of Nazareth was vital to this whole mystery as God would not force salvation upon us. Rather, he willed to save us out of an obedience and love freely given. Mary's "yes" was a form of death for her as she willingly gave up control of her life by submitting completely to God's plan such that she stood at the foot of the Cross to suffer with him. Since she became Mother of God, by conceiving her divine Son, it means, as St Paul points out, that we can cry out "Abba! Father!" (Gal. 4: 6). The corollary of this is that we can therefore cry out "Mary, Mother" and thus share in Mary's joy and love. In baptism we are made children of God: "Dearly beloved, this child has been reborn in baptism. He (she) is now called the child of God, for so indeed he (she) is." (Liturgy for the Baptism of an Infant). Mary's role does not end in her physical/spiritual motherhood since through her virtues she is our exemplar and through her intercession she is our most powerful spiritual aid. 

Pope Paul VI wrote when he declared Mary Mother of the Church: "Mary is the Mother of the Church not only because she is the Mother of Christ and His most intimate associate in "the new economy when the Son of God took a human nature from her, that He might in the mysteries of His flesh free man from sin," but also because "she shines forth to the whole community of the elect as a model of the virtues."... The Holy Virgin, in fact, though rejoicing in the union of the august Trinity, does not forget her Son's advancing, as she herself did in the "pilgrimage of the faith". Indeed, contemplating them in God and clearly seeing their necessities, in communion with Jesus Christ, "who continues forever and is therefore able at all times to intercede for them," she makes herself their Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix and Mediatrix." (Signum Magnum, Part I). Rightly, then, we honour her with great filial affection on this Solemnity.