The Octave Day of Christmas Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

January 1, 2018

Born of a woman, born under the law….

Eight days ago, we celebrated the great feast of the Incarnation, God with us! Born of a woman, whose name is Mary, from a little town called Nazareth. We hear she pondered all these things in her heart. What was she thinking and holding in her heart? What questions did she have? After all, she was only human giving birth to God! She was a Jewish woman faithful to the Mosaic Law, her God, would raise her son accordingly and at great risk.

Mary gave birth to her son in a very real way. Every cell of his body developed from Mary’s body. Through her body, God took on human form, passed through the darkness of the birth canal and into the light. He is flesh and blood, bone and water. He not only entered the light of day, but was the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. THE WORD MADE FLESH!

Good going Mary! In the words of St. Francis of Assisi….
“Hail his Dwelling, Hail his Tabernacle, Hail his Robe, Hail, the Virgin made Church.”

Following the law, her child was circumcised and she named him Jesus just as she agreed at that moment of annunciation and fiat. “Be it done unto me according to your word.” It could only have been a profound experience of the Spirit alive and at work within her. She said yes to God and a lifetime of wonder, confusion, joy and pain. She would be known through all generations as blessed, Mother of mercy, Mother of good counsel, Mother of the refugees, Mother of the homeless, the dying, nonviolent, widows, unwed mothers, of political prisoners, and condemned and executed criminals. She would be a sign and source of hope for the oppressed. In her Magnificat proclamation of faith, she is prophet.

As children, we may have related to Mary in our beautiful childlike ways, but as we grow into spiritual maturity, we can go deeper and look to Mary in new ways. Our own prophetic imagination, through Baptism, enables us to do so. She can accompany us when we contemplate the Spirit alive and at work within each of us and all of creation. In turn, we say yes and respond to the needs of our time. Like Mary, “God sent the Spirit of the Son of God into our Hearts.”

May Jesus bless you…let his face shine upon you, be gracious to you and give you peace!