The Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is celebrated annually by Catholics and the Church on January 1st each year. This day is the eighth day of the Christmas liturgical season or what is known as the Octave of Christmas. The Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God centers around celebrating Mary as the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. The title “Mother of God” is a Western version of the Greek word “Theotokos”, which means “God-bearer”. On this Feast day we contemplate this mystery as the Blessed Mother as the Christ bearer and Mother of Jesus Christ.
It is fitting that the beginning of the Gregorian (or civil) calendar should start with such a liturgical Feast day celebrating the Mother of God, the Blessed Mother Mary. As the Venerable Fulton Sheen once said, “The Blessed Mother is the beginning of the Church. The new Eve and as many children came from Eve many children come from Mary.” So with the New Year being a time where we reflect upon new beginnings in our lives let us reflect on the beginning of the Church with the acceptance of motherhood by The Blessed Mother, her accepting to bear Christ the Lord to the world as a Savior for us and her role as a loving mother to Jesus Christ.
Venerable Fulton Sheen speaks below in the video about Our Blessed Mother and delves a bit further into the mysteries surrounding the Virgin Mary as a Holy Mother, a Bride to God, and an Ideal Woman– a dream come true. Notably, Bishop Sheen wrote a booked about the Blessed Mother called “The World’s First Love.” In this book he explorers the Virgin Mary in her various roles including as Blessed Mother. This speech below reflects upon some of the points Bishop Sheen made in this book, as well as, why the Blessed Mother is as important today as she was that day she accepted the Angel’s offer to bear Christ Our Lord for our Church and for our faith.
The Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God will be celebrated on the evening of December 31st and the morning of January 1st at Catholic Churches worldwide. Please see your local Church’s schedule for mass times and consider spending some time with the Blessed Mother in celebration of her and her son Jesus Christ. Mary is also our spiritual Mother. We share a link with Christ in this way with Mary as Mother. What better way to start a New Year than with ours and his Mother than by praying for a Blessed New Year for all our brothers and sisters, both here with us in the world and departed in peace with our Lord?
Happy New Year and may blessings upon you and your family from the Knights of Columbus Monsignor James S. Conlan Council #5329!
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