Mary, Mother of God
As we enter the month of May, I would like to share with you an article from Fr. Paul Turner (Copyright © 2012 Resource Publications, Inc., 160 E. Virginia St. #170, San Jose, CA 95112, 408-286-8505).
Devotion to Mary remains a hallmark of the Catholic faith. Some people, unfamiliar with our religion, assume that prayer to Mary forms the backbone of the Mass. Wrong! Prayer to Mary is certainly the backbone of the rosary, but there isn’t a single prayer addressed to Mary in the entire Mass, front to back, on any day of the liturgical year.
When it comes to prayer, we acknowledge Hebrews 7:25, which says Christ lives forever to make an intercession for us. So we direct our prayers to God through Christ. However, because of Mary’s central role in salvation history, she makes several appearances in the texts at every Mass and every day of the liturgical year.
Most importantly, Mary’s name is pronounced right in the heart of Mass in the Eucharistic prayer. She is called by two titles made mystic by their juxtaposition: “Virgin” and “Mother”. In the second Eucharistic prayer for children, she is also called “Mother of God and our mother.” Mary also appears in the Creed, as the virgin who conceived the Word made flesh.
At times, we celebrate a Mass in her honor, under a title like “Mary, Mother of the Church” (the Monday after Pentecost, which is May 20 this year), or to commemorate an event in her life, like The Visitation (May 31). A preface often prayed on these days echoes her song of praise, the Magnificat. But most frequently, she is remembered as the “Virgin Mother”.
By connecting these two titles of Mary, the church invites us to reflect on her son. Mary’s special role as the “Virgin Mother” reminds us that the miraculous birth of Jesus introduced the world to an extraordinary child, whose miracles would never cease.
At first, the title, “Mother of God,” sounds wrong. God is the uncreated creator of all. How could God have a mother? That puzzling question draws us into a deeper meditation on the identity of Jesus. Because Jesus is both fully God and fully human, Mary must be called “Mother of God”.
In the liturgy, Mary’s role always bows to her son. She gives birth to him not only in time but in the liturgy and in our hearts. During the month of May, many will address devotions to Mary, and rightfully so. But she will direct them to Christ.