Since we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God and the World Day of Peace on January 1st, the beginning of a new year, I want take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year. “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!”
On this beautiful Solemnity, we clarify certain misconceptions about our relationship with Mary. We do not worship her. Worship is proper to God alone. Mary is neither a “god” nor she ever claimed to be. We honor Mary. We honor Mary primarily because God honored her by choosing her to become the mother of Jesus, the Incarnate Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who remained God, when He took on human flesh and became man, as stated in the Scriptures. The angel said to Mary: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Lk. 1, 31-32).
After the angel had appeared to her and told her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth. At Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1, 42-43, emphasis mine)
Hence, the Council of Ephesus affirmed in AD 431 that Mary was truly the Mother of God (Theotokos), and in AD 451, the Council of Chalcedon affirmed the Divine Motherhood of Mary as a dogma, an official doctrine of the Holy Catholic Church.
Since we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, Mary is given to us as our mother too. At the foot of the Cross, Jesus entrusted us to Mary. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn. 19, 26-27)
All mothers want their children to be good and holy. Our mother Mary wants the same for us, her children. Let us strive to be pure and holy by exercising the virtues of trusting faith, obedience to the word of God, and humble and committed service. Let us also make this new year meaningful by having every day a) some noble thing to dream, b) something good to do, and c) someone to love, the first in the list should be Jesus.