MOTHER OF GOD

As we pray the Hail Mary, we salute the chosen handmaid in the words of Angel Gabriel: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” We declare our belief in her divine maternity as we say “Holy Mary, Mother of God…” (Lk. 1:26-38). It might be good to understand how the greatness and dignity of that unassuming lady lies in her being the Mother of God, theotokos in Greek.

Catholic calendar

Let us scrutinize the Catholic calendar together, knowing fully well that debates are unending. The Lord’s birthday falls on December 25 because, exactly nine months before, on March 25, the day of the Annunciation, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. We assume that the Church, mater et magister, is teaching us on the fundamentals of our faith through dates. Here, the focus is on the birth of Jesus.

Our Lady’s birthday falls on September 8 having been conceived in the womb of St. Ann exactly nine months before on December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Here, the focus is on the birth of Mary.

Drawing a parallelism, I venture to say that we cannot celebrate the Annunciation without celebrating the Immaculate Conception nor can we celebrate Christmas without celebrating the Nativity of Mary. Can a son be conceived without a mother? Can a son be born without a mother?

From the womb of Mary

The Annunciation, also known as the Incarnation of the Son of God or pagkakatawang tao ng Anak ng Diyos, is the most important event in the history of the world. The Son of God, the Second Person of Blessed Trinity, was destined to come down to earth by becoming the Son of Man in Mary’s womb. God’s invitation to save us, the human family, was closely linked to the personal decision of one woman set apart from all the rest.

By consenting to the Divine call and conforming to the Divine will (Luke 1:38), fiat voluntas tua, Mary, a daughter of Adam, became the theotokos. Heaven rejoiced as hell trembled in fear when the “Word was made Flesh” (John 1:14).

Blameless

Because she gave birth to the only blameless Man, Mary had to be without sin herself. Her Immaculate Conception is God’s way of preparing Mary to assume her role of the Motherhood of God. Again, the most significant role was theotokos, and all other events were preparations as it were. Nine hundred years ago, St. Anselm wrote about Mary:

“All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men to praise God Who made them. The world was corrupted and tainted by original sin. Now the whole universe rejoices with new loveliness. All creation has been restored to its splendor, through a woman named Mary…who is immaculately conceived. The woes of our first parents have been transformed into joy. God, in desiring to save the whole of humanity, fell in love with a woman, and prepared her to become the MOTHER OF HIS SON.”

Latria, dulia, and hyperdulia

What must our attitude towards Mary be? Knowing that the Son cannot be glorified without the proper respect given to the mother, we cannot but keep in our heart a special affection for Mary, under the several titles. It is of great import here to clarify and clearly stress the meaning of special affection.

It is necessary to differentiate the Greek words latria, dulia, and hyperdulia. Latria refers to the worship made by the creature to his Creator, the adoration offered by the human being to the Divine Being. Only God alone deserves  worship and adoration, latria.

Dulia refers to the respect, affection, or honor of the creature to another creature closely related to God. Hence, dulia is what we duly give to St. Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, San Lorenzo Ruiz, St. John Baptist de la Salle, St. Michael the Archangel, and the heavenly hosts, all other angels and friends of God in heaven.

Hyperdulia refers to the highest singular form of dulia, which is proper only to one special creature, the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a unique privilege due her for being theotokos, Mother of God.

Our Catholic Faith never taught us to worship her. We cannot in any manner give the impression whatsoever that we adore (latria) a human being.

Mother of the Church

Other than her Divine Maternity, we give Mary our most special affection because we have become her children through grace. If she is the mother of the Head, it necessarily follows that she becomes the mother of all Christian disciples, the People of God, the Body, the Church.

Our Lord Himself, as He hang on the cross, literally and symbolically entrusted His mother to His beloved disciple John who personifies and represents all Christians of all ages (John 19:26-27). Both her Divine Maternity and her spiritual maternity of all Christians are linked by logical necessity to the dogma of the Mystical Body (Jordan Aumann, OP).

Praying the Holy Rosary

The greatest way of honoring Blessed Mary is to pray the Holy Rosary. Each bead stands for a beautiful rose that we put at the feet of our Mother. The Rosary is also our weapon against the attacks of the evil one.

However, we are reminded, devotion to our Lady should not just end in praying the rosary but must be translated into the imitation of her virtues. Our Blessed Mother, for instance, demands froth her unmarried children purity, chastity, and virginity, and from her married children love of spouse and devotion to children.