Day 119 -- Mary, Mother of God

Through Christ to Mary and through Mary more fully to the Lord Jesus

Over the past year or so, I have been becoming closer to Mary and it has been a beautiful and wonderful friendship I am developing. I look forward to the year 2011 to become closer to her and what it has in store for me.

Today we celebrate Mary, the Mother of God, and as a friend told me we should begin and end all our days with Mary and the Catholic Church does it so wonderfully by beginning our year with Mary. The title of Mary, Mother of God is Theotokos. The English translation is God-bearer--the one who gives birth to God. At the Council of Ephesus in 431 declared Mary as Theotokos because her son Jesus is one person who is both God and man, divine and human. The image of Mary here is a stained glass window of the Theotokos. The Greek letters MP and OY are abbreviations for the term "Mother of God."

We are all called to pray to Mary and ask for her intercession. Here can be found a Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

"The three expressions which the Church has used down the centuries to describe her faith in the motherhood of Mary: "Mother of Jesus", "Virgin Mother" and "Mother of God", thus show that Mary's motherhood is intimately linked with the mystery of the Incarnation. They are affirmations of doctrine, connected as well with popular piety, which help define the very identity of Christ." Pope John Paul II

"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother." Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Here is a poem/prayer that I wrote about Mary back in March 2010 which was inspired from this statue of Mary:

When I See Our Mother Mary

When I see your eyes…

I see compassion, peace, and kindness.

When I see your lips…

I hear your fiat – “let it be done to me according to

your word.”

When I see your ears…

I want to ask our Lord and be able to answer the age-old question: “What do you want of me Lord?”

When I see your Immaculate Heart…

I notice love – love for your Son and for us. Your love is perfect, even though your heart is pierced. There is no other perfect love than a mother’s love. You teach us how to love others. You show us how to love ourselves. “Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18

When I see your hand…

I know you are pointing the way of how I am to follow your Son. Your hand will guide me in the decisions of my life.

When I see your belt…

I remember you carried, labored, and bore our Lord. I can also carry your Son when I partake of His Precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

When I see your foot crushing the serpent…

I am reminded that I too can overcome my fears and crush the power of evil.

When I see your feet…

I am conscious of the hardship in the walk with your Son toward Calvary.

When I see the world upon which you stand…

I realize you are there for all people of all time on every continent.

When I see you, Mary…

I observe a woman with a pure heart. I witness a role model to guide me…to support me…to help me understand that my vocation is a gift from God that needs to be discovered and unwrapped gently and carefully with the Lord by my side.