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.

朋友們，今天我們慶祝聖母瑪利亞作為天主之母的節日。

聖依勒內歐曾說，在救贖歷史中，天主一直在“試穿”人性，逐步使神性與人性彼此適應——為降生成人做好準備。所有這些準備，都是為那位以色列少女鋪墊，她回應了邀請，成為天主之母。

稱瑪利亞為天主之母，是為了強調天主真正成為人的事實的深刻性。正如傅爾頓·J·辛所評論的那樣，瑪利亞就像月亮，她的光總是反映更高的光。

天主教神學從瑪利亞作為天主之母的地位中推導出進一步的含義——她作為教會之母的角色。如果她是基督通過她誕生的人物，而教會確實是基督的奧體，那麼她必然以非常真實的意義成為教會之母。她是通過她，耶穌繼續在信徒的心中誕生的人物。這並不是將她與救主混為一談，而是強調她作為中保和代禱者的使命。

Bishop Robert Barron