Happy New Year! Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. In honor of that, I want to share with you a chapter from A Minute in the Church Volume II on the subject.
Mary – Mother of God
The Catholic Church refers to Mary as the Mother of God. In the Hail Mary prayer, we pray, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners…”
Some people object to that title, saying that that would mean that Mary existed before God. That’s not what the Church teaches at all. Here’s the deal.
In the fifth century there was a bishop named Nestorius who claimed that Jesus did not have a human and divine nature. He objected to the Greek term “theotokos,” or God-bearer, for Mary. At the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, Cyril of Alexandria argued that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man; that He had two natures, human and divine. The Council agreed with Cyril and bestowed upon Mary the title of “Theotokos.” This is where we get the term Mother of God.
So you see, calling Mary the Mother of God is really just affirming the divinity of Christ. If we believe that Jesus is true God and true man, and Mary is His mother, then calling her the Mother of God just makes sense.
Hail, Mary, full of grace! The LORD is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
As a convert, talk of Mary is welcomed. I envy those that express their thoughts, relationship and adoration for Mary. She was NEVER discussed or rarely mentioned by the Methodist, Presbyterian or Independent faiths… in my experience. I know we can ask her to intercede but I really don’t know what that means? Thanks for all you do Gus. I listen every morning on my way to the office.
Sarah,
The colors of the dates are the liturgical colors. Green is for Ordinary Time, white is for a saint’s feast day, red is for a martyr’s feast day, purple is for Advent or Lent.
My comment is actually a question and it’s not in regard to your reflection this morning, but I thought I would ask it here.
Your site directs me to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops site for the days readings & I see the calendar and would like to know what do the different colors on the calendar signify?
Thank you.