Merry Christmas! So far since Christmas day we have celebrated St. Stephen the Martyr, St. John the Apostle, The Holy Innocents (the children killed by Herod after Christ's birth), and St. Thomas a Becket the bishop and martyr. On the 30th we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. All these as witnessed by the blood of the martyrs and life of the Holy Family. May 2017 be year in which we are rooted in the Love of God.
Now we celebrate the New Year and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. From the Didache Bible:
“Why do we call the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God?
Because she conceived and gave birth to Christ, who is the incarnation of God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
Since the first centuries of Christianity, the Church customarily has regarded the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God for a simple, logical reason: By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Since the divine Person, god the Son, assumed, or took on, human nature, she is the Mother of God in the fullest since: "What the Catholic Faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ (CCC487). The Church solemnly defined this belief the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.
How can a mere mortal be the Mother of the Eternal God who has always existed?
Consider how we speak of human motherhood. Our own mothers supply our human nature, our physical bodies; yet, it is God who supplies our spirit and soul. We do not distinguish between the two: a mother gives birth not only to our nature but to our entire person.
In regard to Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary supplied his humanity and is sun is thus the mother of Jesus. But Christ has both a human nature and a divine nature. Nevertheless, she gave birth to the one Person who is Jesus Christ, the son of God made man. She is rightly called the mother of God even though she herself is not the source of his divinity. (cf. Catechism # 496)
This doctrine is taught implicitly in Scripture, especially in those passages where the Blessed Virgin Mary is called the "Mother of Jesus, or the "Mother of Christperhaps most strikingly when St. Elizabeth greets her with the following words: Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’ (Lk 1:43, emphasis added). Her identity as the Mother of God is intimately linked to Christ's own identity as fully man and fully god, the Son of God. (cf Catechism 509)"
We heard in the Gospel: "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Luke 2:19). May we join Mary, the Mother of God, and our mother, in keeping all these mysteries of Christmas in our hearts.
God bless you all and may the Lord grant you a blessed, joyful, and Holy New Year, 2017
Father Robert Letona
A Word of Thanks to:
Our Choirs for their wonderful singing at the Christmas Liturgies!
Our servers and lectors who served expertly and reverently
Our decorators for making our churches a worthy space for the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries.
Those who kept our parking lots, sidewalks, and entry ways clear of snow and ice!
All who sent me a Christmas Card and gift, I am deeply humbled and grateful!
God reward your efforts and generosity
Now we celebrate the New Year and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. From the Didache Bible:
“Why do we call the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God?
Because she conceived and gave birth to Christ, who is the incarnation of God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
Since the first centuries of Christianity, the Church customarily has regarded the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God for a simple, logical reason: By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Since the divine Person, god the Son, assumed, or took on, human nature, she is the Mother of God in the fullest since: "What the Catholic Faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ (CCC487). The Church solemnly defined this belief the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.
How can a mere mortal be the Mother of the Eternal God who has always existed?
Consider how we speak of human motherhood. Our own mothers supply our human nature, our physical bodies; yet, it is God who supplies our spirit and soul. We do not distinguish between the two: a mother gives birth not only to our nature but to our entire person.
In regard to Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary supplied his humanity and is sun is thus the mother of Jesus. But Christ has both a human nature and a divine nature. Nevertheless, she gave birth to the one Person who is Jesus Christ, the son of God made man. She is rightly called the mother of God even though she herself is not the source of his divinity. (cf. Catechism # 496)
This doctrine is taught implicitly in Scripture, especially in those passages where the Blessed Virgin Mary is called the "Mother of Jesus, or the "Mother of Christperhaps most strikingly when St. Elizabeth greets her with the following words: Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’ (Lk 1:43, emphasis added). Her identity as the Mother of God is intimately linked to Christ's own identity as fully man and fully god, the Son of God. (cf Catechism 509)"
We heard in the Gospel: "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Luke 2:19). May we join Mary, the Mother of God, and our mother, in keeping all these mysteries of Christmas in our hearts.
God bless you all and may the Lord grant you a blessed, joyful, and Holy New Year, 2017
Father Robert Letona
A Word of Thanks to:
Our Choirs for their wonderful singing at the Christmas Liturgies!
Our servers and lectors who served expertly and reverently
Our decorators for making our churches a worthy space for the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries.
Those who kept our parking lots, sidewalks, and entry ways clear of snow and ice!
All who sent me a Christmas Card and gift, I am deeply humbled and grateful!
God reward your efforts and generosity
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