Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
Gal 4:4-7
Lk 2:16-21
The Church calls the faithful together to celebrate something very special. Interestingly enough, the celebration today does not commemorate the beginning of the year, but rather we are celebrating the eighth day of Christmas or what is the Christmas Octave. The reason for the song, “The 12 Days of Christmas” is to mark from Christmas day to the Epiphany and then the Christmas season actually ending on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. So if you have already taken down your tree or packed up your lights, you didn’t get your money’s worth! You still have until at least January 6th. For all you procrastinators, you can leave your Christmas decorations up according to the older tradition of celebrating Christmas and that’s all the way until February 2nd. We are celebrating the eighth day of Christmas, which happens to be New Year’s Day. This is only coincidental. If Jesus was born on the 26th, we’d celebrate this feast tomorrow. But as it works out, and fortunately as we will see later, the eighth day falls on New Year’s. Why is the eighth day important?
According to Jewish custom and as we hear in the Gospel: When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus… This is the day they perform the rite of circumcision for a newborn son. And all painful imagery aside, the day that one is circumcised is also the day one receives their name and enters into covenant with God and his chosen people. You could say this ritual is equivalent to our baptism. From salvation’s standpoint, the circumcision solidifies the fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus – the Son of God incarnated – the Messiah coming from the Jewish people to bring salvation to the world. As we hear in St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law. Jesus was announced at the annunciation, born of a woman on Christmas, and now born under the law in the circumcision. In doing all of this, Jesus enters fully into His humanity to redeem humanity from slavery, not in the physical sense, but rather slavery to sin. And to show that He does this out of love for His creation, through Jesus’ humanity we also become sons and daughters of God – heirs to the Father – the almighty God.
“Well that’s all well and good Father Reuben but what does this all have to do with Mary – isn’t this her feast day?” We have many feasts honoring Mary – Annunciation, the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, etc. Today’s Feast pays special honor and tribute to the title “Mother of God” – theotokos, in the Greek. This title is of special importance because it is one of the oldest titles of Mary. But lest we be accused of idolatry to Mary, let us take examine the title more closely. As with all titles of Mary and if I may add, in her very person, Mary always points to Christ. The only reason she is exalted it is because she is because of Him and she helps us to Christ.
The title “Mary, Mother of God” in three words describes and captures the very essence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. The Council of Ephesus in 431 dedicated their discussion to this title of Mary. To get an idea of how early this happened, the Bible as we know it was still being formerly recognized as Canon. An archbishop named Nestorius wanted to change the title from theotokos to christotokos or Mother of God to Mother of Christ. He did not and could not believe that it was possible for Mary to bear God in her womb; and so instead, believed that she bore a human person and then at the moment of birth God came down and took over the person of Jesus, leaving only Jesus with a divine nature. But we, the Church believe that when Jesus was conceived, He was both God and man. The title “Mother of God” protects that idea – the sheer mind-bending impossible idea that Mary could bear God in her womb was the very reason why the Church adopted the title to acknowledge this very fact that she “mothered” God. This is again, not to exalt her and her ability to bear God like she had a super womb or something unique. The exaltation is in fact that Jesus, who is God, took on flesh to be born for us and save us. Salvation comes from the person – both God and human – of Jesus Christ. Mary is the instrument by which this salvific event is able to take place and hence she is called Mother of God.
Now that we know why the title “Mother of God” is so important, where do you think would be the best time to acknowledge this fact? I believe that it would make sense for us to celebrate this feast “Mother of God” on the day that Jesus completes His entrance into humanity, being born under the law. As Jesus reaches the fullness of His humanity marked by His initiation with circumcision, Mary realizes the fullness of her Motherhood as well. We are reminded again, When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.…
Brothers and sisters: today, we celebrate the Octave Day of Christmas – the day of Jesus’ initiation into humanity and the divine motherhood of Mary in calling her the Mother of God. It is a time where we again celebrate the Incarnation, the Word made flesh – seen from a Mother’s perspective. The celebration of the New Year is coincidental and for some of you all who are feeling a little “under the weather” this might be more unfortunate. Maybe if we all write the UN we can tack on a few days in December so we don’t have these celebrations in conflict. But since that probably won’t happen, I think it is quite fitting to remember that our Blessed Mother is one who brings us to Christ. And since New Year’s Resolutions are being made, who better than our Blessed Mother to help you make the one that should always be at the top of your list: Being a better Child of God. May God bless you in this New Year and may our Blessed Mother continue to intercede for you and lead you to her Son.
No comments:
Post a Comment