Solemnity of Mary Mother of God [New Year's]

 


SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD


It’s Jesus being exalted when we arrive at the date of December 25th. Now, as we advance to the date of January 1st, it’s the Virgin Mary’s turn to be exalted. But is it exclusive? Is it she and she alone who receives exaltation? Has she completely replaced Jesus on center-stage? It is true, we are definitely saying something about Mary when we acknowledge her as the Mother of God. However, at the same time, we are likewise saying something about her Son: we are saying that he has a divine status. We are saying that Luke 1:38 portrays Divinity itself taking up residence within the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, the stage is being shared. Along with saluting the Virgin Mary, we are also offering a salute to the “fruit of her womb.”  Basically, it’s because of Jesus’ exalted status that we are allowed to extend an exalted status to Mary. 


You’ve heard the expression: a high tide raises all of the boats in the harbor. Imagine we are talking about Navy vessels. As the tide comes in, you see a tugboat being raised. It is being raised, and yet at no point will it surpass the battleship positioned next to it. This is explained by the fact that the battleship is being elevated in conjunction with the tugboat. The battleship, by way of design, presents a superior stature, in comparison with the tugboat. The tide may provide considerable lift to the tugboat, but in the process, it’s also providing considerable lift to the battleship. The battleship’s superior profile will be maintained, no matter what happens with the tugboat. 


This means there is never any chance that the exaltation being received by the Blessed Virgin Mary will ever come at the expense of her Son, Jesus. It shouldn’t be regarded as an exclusive form of exaltation. Rather, it should be seen as conjunctive. The tide that lifts Mary also lifts her Son. He’s not going to be surpassed. His superior stature is going to be maintained. No matter how vigorously we attempt to magnify Mary’s status, she will never possess a status exceeding that of her Son (nor would she desire such a status). Thus, we can praise her with abandon. We can venerate her with abandon. We can honor her with and we can celebrate her with abandon. Even as we do so, the Lord becomes all the more magnified and glorified. 


Essentially, it’s all about Mary being connected with Jesus. We pay attention to her because of her connection with Jesus. She has a connection unlike anybody else’s connection. It’s THE connection of all connections. Any tide that lifts Mary will automatically give lift to the person of Jesus. They became connected at the time of the Annunciation. That connection carries through the miracle of Christmas, and it continues into this day and age. We devote ourselves to her, and as we do so, our own connection with Jesus becomes solidified. Pope John Paul II popularized the expression, “Totus Tuus.”  It derives from the Latin, and it signifies the process through which we go to Jesus through the involvement of Mary. It was St. Louis de Montfort who originally formulated the expression; Pope St. John Paul II was the one who went on to popularize the concept for our generation. He wanted each and every one of us to experience that singular reward—the reward of a bond with Jesus, facilitated through the Blessed Virgin’s Patronage. 

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