by Stephen Fahrig, OMV
"To the wonderment of nature you bore your creator..." These words, part of the English translation of the traditional Marian antiphon Alma Redemptoris Mater, simply yet powerfully express the mind-boggling mystery which Catholics around the world celebrate this January 1 as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in her title as "Mother of God." They call to mind the paradoxical nature of the Christmas mystery itself, that the eternal Creator of all things has himself become a creature and embraced our finite, fleshly existence. As the Church celebrates the unfathomable miracle of the Incarnation during the eight days which constitute the Christmas octave, it is appropriate that she should dedicate the final, climactic day of the octave to contemplating the mystery of Mary's divine motherhood. The ancient creeds affirm that in Jesus Christ, two natures - one human, one divine - are united in one divine Person. A natural consequence of this dogma is that the mother of this Person is not merely mother of our Lord's human nature but of our Lord in his entirety - therefore, Mary is truly the Mother of GOD.
"To the wonderment of nature you bore your creator..." These words, part of the English translation of the traditional Marian antiphon Alma Redemptoris Mater, simply yet powerfully express the mind-boggling mystery which Catholics around the world celebrate this January 1 as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in her title as "Mother of God." They call to mind the paradoxical nature of the Christmas mystery itself, that the eternal Creator of all things has himself become a creature and embraced our finite, fleshly existence. As the Church celebrates the unfathomable miracle of the Incarnation during the eight days which constitute the Christmas octave, it is appropriate that she should dedicate the final, climactic day of the octave to contemplating the mystery of Mary's divine motherhood. The ancient creeds affirm that in Jesus Christ, two natures - one human, one divine - are united in one divine Person. A natural consequence of this dogma is that the mother of this Person is not merely mother of our Lord's human nature but of our Lord in his entirety - therefore, Mary is truly the Mother of GOD.
It might seem odd that the Catholic Church should begin the new year with a feast in honor of Mary. From one perspective, the timing is merely coincidental. January 1 simpy happens to fall eight days after December 25. The feast of Mary's divine motherhood has more to do with the conclusion of the Christmas octave than with the beginning of the secular year. Nonetheless, I think there is something very fitting about celebrating a solemnity in honor of Mary on New Year's Day. After all, it was through Mary's "Yes" to God that the human race was able to make a new beginning. On the first day of the year, when "New Year's resolutions" are on the minds of many people, it is appropriate to consider the implications of this new beginning.
Early Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus liked to use the term "recapitulation" to describe the radically new state of affairs that the incarnation of Jesus Christ has brought about for humanity. Put simply, by virtue of all the mysteries of his life from his conception to his death and resurrection, Jesus has given the human race a "reboot." Where Adam, Israel, and humanity as a whole failed, Jesus triumphed. His victory over the powers of sin and darkness have given us a new lease on life - eternal life - and have enabled us to share in the divine nature itself. Yet, as Irenaeus and others also insisted on pointing out, Jesus the God-Man was not willing to do this work of recapitulation entirely on his own. He allowed a young Jewish peasant girl to share in the work of redemption through her free consent to the divine motherhood. In so doing, he enabled Mary to become a "New Eve", just as he himself is a "New Adam." Through Christ's saving work, and his mother's free cooperation in that work, we have indeed been given the opportunity for a new beginning.
In and of itself, this is powerful stuff, the stuff of "Good News", the gospel. Jesus Christ has made all things new (cf. Revelation 21:5). He has allowed his mother to share in the work of redemption by her active consent to his incarnation in her womb and by her continual work of intercession on behalf of humanity. Yet what Christ has done in the abstract for all of humanity must be appropriated by each and every one of us. Each of us is called to accept the grace offered by Jesus and allow our lives to be transformed into his likeness. And this is where the "Good News" gets even better. Christ's power to make all things new does not exhaust itself. Every day, we have an opportunity to make a new beginning. Like Mary, we can contribute to her Son's work of recapitulation whenever we make a conscious decision to begin again, to turn away from the mistakes and sins of our past and rededicate ourselves to allowing Christ's reign to take hold of our hearts and our lives.
One way in which we can do this is by regularly making and carrying out "spirtual resolutions." St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, developed an "examination of consciousness" whereby those who practice this form of prayer come before God at the end of each day, thank him for the graces and blessings of the day, ask forgiveness for any sins, and then make a resolution as to how to serve God better the following day. Such resolutions are not meant to be confined to once a year, nor should they be ephemeral as so many New Year's resolutions tend to be. Rather, these resolutions, made with the conviction that our merciful God is always offering us the grace to begin again when we have fallen, have the power to transform our lives if carried out faithfully.
As we begin a new year, let us ask the help of Mary, Mother of God, to make a new beginning - not just on January 1, but each day of the year.
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