Soleminity of Blesed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

Soleminity of Blesed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

Father Ben Riley

Mystical Rose
Tower of David
House of Gold
Arc of the Covenant
Gate of Heaven
Morning Star
Help of Christians
Queen of Angels
Conceived without sin
Assumed into Heaven
Queen of the Rosary
Queen of Peace
Most Pure
Most Chaste
Inviolate
Undefiled
Most Admirable
Mother of Good Council
Virgin most Prudent
Mirror of Justice
Seat of wisdom
Cause of joy
Spiritual Vessel
Mother of God

Mary is honored with many titles, but today we celebrate the solemnity of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the namesake and patron of our parish. And we are so blessed to have a beautiful church. Mary Mother of God. This church used to be called by the Latin translation Mater Dei, and this building is really quite beautiful, in its simplicity. At the right time of day, the stained glass shines colored light onto the altar. The two beautiful statues of Mary and Joseph which flank the sanctuary. Our very nice bronze stations of the cross. Our beautiful tabernacle, and of course the flowers and work of our sacristans and altar society who offer their time and talent, helping keep this sacred space looking like a place worthy of worship. And my favorite adornment of our church is the stained glass above the main entrance that depicts the Mother of God. I have the opportunity to gaze upon this image through the whole Mass, but all of you see it only when you enter the church and exit. As you leave today (this evening), make sure to take a moment and appreciate this image of the Mother of God.

Mary’s title “Mother of God” is one of the four Marian Dogmas, and it is the first, being proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431. However, the Greek phrase “Theotokos” or “God bearer”, can be traced back to the early 200’s. This title was found on a papyrus copy of the earliest prayer attributed to Mary, the Memorare. Mary being honored as the Mother of God does not mean that she created the divine person of Jesus, but that she gave birth to Jesus who is the Son of God, the second person of the trinity, and God himself. As John says in his Gospel, “The Word became flesh.” This dogma does not suggest Mary’s divinity but it presupposes many other dogmas of the church including Mary’s perpetual virginity, her immaculate conception, and assumption, as well as the hypostatic union of Jesus, being fully human and fully divine. This dogma also dispels some of the confusions of Christian orthodoxy, like Arianism, the denial that Jesus was God, and Nestorianism the belief that Mary mothers only the human nature of Jesus but not his whole person. In short, the dogma of Mary being the Mother of God, is a fundamental belief of Christianity, and it is the foundation of many other Church teachings.

Now, I recognize that my description of this dogma was a bit academic, and for that I apologize. It is not my intention to preach in such a way that confuses anyone, and this is still a homily, not a lecture. But I did this for a reason. We as faithful Catholics are pretty good at knowing our faith. We know what the Church teaches. Maybe you went to a catholic school, had a good sacramental prep or confirmation class, and have entered more deeply into your faith and spirituality through the sacrifice of the Mass and good preaching. However, although most Catholics know what the church teaches, we are not so good at knowing why the church teaches what it does. This is often a problem when we evangelize our protestant brothers and sisters. Have you ever been asked a question about purgatory, papal infallibility, or indulgences and didn’t really know why the Church upholds these teachings or the scriptural basis for them? Before I joined the seminary, this happened to me often. And even today, I still need to brush up on what’s called apologetics, the practice of defending the faith. As Saint Peter says, “give a testament for the hope that is within you.”

We are called to know and love God. This includes knowing His revelation of Scripture, and knowing the Body of Christ, the Church. This is necessary because we cannot love someone who we don’t first know. Thankfully, Holy Mother Church has given us a tremendous gift to help us in this effort. It’s called, the Catechism. If you are unfamiliar, the catechism is a compendium, or complete teaching, of Christian doctrine. It has sections that delve into the creed, the liturgy, discernment, prayer, and so much more. It is such a great gift, that unfortunately, many Catholics believe is only for theologians and priests. If you have never read the catechism, you are missing out on one of the most beautiful and powerful resources of faith, and if you don’t own a catechism, you need one.

I will admit, the catechism can be a little hard to read, and like scripture some passages could be aided by context and commentary. So it is with great joy, that I share with you some exciting news. Starting tomorrow (today) Father Mike Schmitz is going to begin recording the Catechism in a Year podcast. I am very excited to begin this journey delving into the teachings of Christ’s Church, and I highly encourage all of you to join me. This is a free podcast that you can access on your smart phone, UTube, or online. Father Mike is a priest of the diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and two years ago he recorded the Bible in a Year podcast, which you may have heard about. He read through the entire Bible giving commentary and explanations as he went. Now he will do the same for the Catechism. Please, on this the solemnity of Mary Mother of God, the patroness of our parish, prayerfully consider beginning this journey of deepening your faith. I hope we can incorporate this podcast into the faith formation at the parish, but for now, I encourage you to form small groups to meet at your homes, maybe once a month. Let’s work toward being able to clearly express our faith. Giving a reason for the hope that is within us.