Title: Meditation: Tuesday, January 1, 2002
The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, January 1, 2002
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
(Holy Day of Obligation - check local diocesan regulations)
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 67:2-3,5-6,8
Galatians 4:1-7
Luke 2:16-21
A Reflection on Scripture from Christmas Mass during the day:
Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Lk 2:19)
What better way to ring in the new year than to remember Our Blessed
Mother. Known in the Eastern Churches as Theotokos (God-bearer) we call
her "The Mother of God." And just dwelling on that phrase should be at
once chilling and exciting.
For the longest time when I was a protestant I really wondered what was
meant by "Mother of God." It made a sort of sense, but it seemed vaguely
blasphemous somehow. But as a Catholic, the manifold meanings of the
term have become progressively clearer and clearer. Mary was indeed the
God Bearer. Her flesh alone encompassed and "created", if you will, the
flesh in which God assumed His earthly form, Jesus Christ. She was
indeed the Mother of God, and there is no blasphemy in this, only the
echo of the resounding "Yes" that rang the bells to tell of our
Salvation.
Mary, being human, could not fully encompass or understand all of God's
plan. Nor could she be fully aware of what her Son was and is. But, she
treasured in her heart all that she heard, felt, and saw of God, and she
grew in understanding to the point where she could say with confidence
at Cana, "Do what He tells you."
Blessed Mary is the Mother of God. But she is also our mother. And as
this passage reminds us, she is most especially the Mother of
Contemplatives. In her life she gave the example we are all to follow --
to dwell in and with the Word, and to treasure all that He tells us in
the deepest recesses of our hearts. And more -- to let all that He
speaks to us through His word transform our hearts and make us suitable
dwelling places for Him.
A most blessed New Year to you all, and may you all follow the example
of the Mediatrix of all Graces, the blessed Theotokos, Mary, Mother of
God.
- JuandelaCruz, TOC ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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All scripture quotes are from the Douay-Rheims edition of the Catholic Bible.
Full text from the New American Bible: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
Lives of the Saints: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/
