On the Octave of Christmas, the church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.  Over the past two centuries, there has been much confusion surrounding the idea that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God.  How could God, having always existed, have a mother?  This is a real stumbling block for many of our protestant brothers and sisters.

In the year 431 at the Council of Ephesus, the church taught that Jesus Christ is one divine person, the second person of the Blessed Trinity.  He is one divine person with two natures - a divine nature, and a human nature.  The Church correctly identifies Mary as the mother of God because He is one divine person and not merely one human person.  Jesus Christ receives His divine nature from the Father from all eternity.   He receives His human nature from His mother at a particular time in history.  She is the mother of Jesus, who is also God.  She's not the mother of the divinity; the divinity has no beginning, and therefore no mother.   However, Mary is the mother of the one who has the divinity, the one who is God.  Jesus gets his humanity from her.

We as Catholic Christians worship Jesus and we venerate, or regard with great respect, His mother, just as He does.  By developing a Marian devotion, we too can have a relationship with the Mother of God.  In following our Lord’s example and living in accord with our baptismal promise, whatever is His is also ours.  He gave it to us as members of the Body of Christ.   One of the greatest treasures that He has given to me, and to you, is His most Holy Mother, the Mother of God.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

Deacon Dave Arms