The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord Solemnity of Mary
Mary kept all these things. (Luke 2:19)
Happy 2019! All of us here at The Word Among Us pray that this will be a year of great blessing for each of you. And what better way to begin the year than by honoring Mary!
As Mother of God, Mary had the privilege of bearing Jesus, true God and true man, into the world. Together with Joseph, she also had the honor—and the challenge—of raising a child whose two natures, divine and human, were intimately united but did not overshadow one another.
Think about the important role Mary played in teaching Jesus and forming him in his human nature. Think about how her example and her love influenced the kind of Messiah he would be. Her compassion helped show him what it means to be merciful. The witness of her faith helped him trust in God’s power to perform miracles. Her prayer, “May it be done to me according to your word,” taught him to follow his heavenly Father’s will (Luke 1:38). No wonder we proclaim that she is blessed among women!
In today’s Gospel, St. Luke tells us the most important thing that Mary taught Jesus: prayerfully reflecting on God’s words and his works. Jesus must have seen his mother praying thousands of times—both by herself and with Joseph. Her prayerfulness helped set the tone in her home as she taught her young son to bring every question, every word of praise, and every need to his heavenly Father. And clearly, it worked. The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus finding time to get away and talk—and listen—to God (Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21; 9:28-29; John 11:41-43; 17:1-26).
Mary isn’t just the Mother of Jesus. She is also Mother of the Church. She is your Mother. So let her do for you what she did for Jesus. Let her example, her wisdom, and her intercession teach you how to ponder God’s word and how to treasure his love. Let her teach you how to pray.
“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.”
Numbers 6:22-27
Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
Galatians 4:4-7
Saint Ephrem (c.306-373)
deacon in Syria, Doctor of the Church
Hymn
“The shepherds … glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen.”
Come, Moses, show us that bush on top of the mountain whose flames danced on your face (Ex 3:2): it is the child of the Most High who became visible from the womb of the Virgin Mary and who illumined the world when he came. Glory to him from every creature, and blessed is she who bore him!
Come, Gideon, show us that fleece and the sweet dew (Judg 6:37), explain to us the mystery of your word: the fleece is Mary who received the dew, the Word of God. He manifested himself in creation through her and redeemed the world from error.
Come, David, show us the city that you saw and the plant that germinated there: Mary is the city, the plant which came forth from there is our Savior whose name is Dawn (Zech 3:8, LXX).
The tree of life that was guarded by the cherubim with a sword of fire (Gen 3:24) now dwells in Mary, the pure Virgin, and Joseph guards it. The cherubim have laid down their sword, for the fruit they were guarding was sent from the height of heaven even to the exiles in their abyss. Eat of it, everyone, mortal human beings, and you shall live. Blessed be the fruit that the Virgin bore.
Blessed be the one who came down and dwelt in Mary and who came forth from her to save us. Blessed are you, Mary, who were considered to be worthy to be the mother of the Son of the Most High, you who bore the Ancient One who had given birth to Adam and Eve. He came forth from you, the sweet fruit filled with life, and through him, the exiles again have access to paradise.