Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God

St. Irenaeus says that, throughout the history of salvation, God was trying on humanity, gradually suiting divinity and humanity to one another—preparing for the Incarnation. All of that preparation was a prelude to the Israelite girl who would say yes to the invitation to be the Mother of God.

To say that Mary is the Mother of God is to insist on the density of the claim that God truly became human. As Fulton J. Sheen commented, Mary is like the moon, for her light is always the reflection of a higher light.

Catholic theology has drawn a further implication from Mary’s status as Mother of God—her role as Mother of the Church. If she is the one through whom Christ was born, and if the Church is indeed Christ’s Mystical Body, then she must be, in a very real sense, the Mother of the Church. She is the one through whom Jesus continues to be born in the hearts of those who believe. This is not to confuse her with the Savior, but it is to insist on her mission as mediator and intercessor.

朋友们，今天我们庆祝圣母玛利亚作为天主之母的节日。

圣依勒内欧曾说，在救赎历史中，天主一直在“试穿”人性，逐步使神性与人性彼此适应——为降生成人做好准备。所有这些准备，都是为那位以色列少女铺垫，她回应了邀请，成为天主之母。

称玛利亚为天主之母，是为了强调天主真正成为人的事实的深刻性。正如傅尔顿·J·辛所评论的那样，玛利亚就像月亮，她的光总是反映更高的光。

天主教神学从玛利亚作为天主之母的地位中推导出进一步的含义——她作为教会之母的角色。如果她是基督通过她诞生的人物，而教会确实是基督的奥体，那么她必然以非常真实的意义成为教会之母。她是通过她，耶稣继续在信徒的心中诞生的人物。这并不是将她与救主混为一谈，而是强调她作为中保和代祷者的使命。

Bishop Robert Barron