SOLEMNITY OF

MARYS
MOTHERHOOD
1 January 2017
Num. 6: 22-27
Gal. 4:4-7
Lk. 2: 16-21

INTRODUCTION:

I invite everyone to reflect

on this Solemnity of
Marys Motherhood as
one among the most
important blessings Mary
received from God with a
formula of blessing Aaron
and the priests of old would
recite in blessing the people:

INTRODUCTION:
The Lord bless you and
keep you!
The Lord let his face
shine upon you and be
gracious to you
The Lord look upon
you kindly and give you
peace.

The word of blessing

Elizabeth spoke to Mary
Blessed are you among
women and blessed is the
fruit of your womb! And
why has this happened to
me, that the mother of
my Lord comes to me?
continues the priestly
blessing.

Christ and his mother

are inseparable:
There is a very close
relationship as between
every child and his mother.
The flesh (caro) of Christ
which, as Tertulian says, is
the hinge (cardo) of our
salvation was knit together
in the womb of Mary.

Christ and his mother

are inseparable:
This inseparability is
also clear from the fact
that Mary also shared
intimately in his entire
mission, remaining at
her Sons side to the end
in Calvary.

Likewise, inseparable is
Christ and the Church.
To separate Jesus from
the Church would
introduce an absurd
dichotomy.

Likewise, inseparable is
Christ and the Church.
It is not possible to love Christ
without the Church or to listen
to Christ but not the Church or
to belong to Christ but outside
the Church, for the Church is
herself Gods family which
brings Christ to us.

Likewise, inseparable is
Christ and the Church.
Without the Church, our
relationship to Christ would
be at the mercy of our
imagination, our
interpretations, and our
moods.

CONCLUSION:
Mary, Mother of
God, is also the
mother of the
Church and through
the Church, the
mother of all men
and women and of
every people.

END