Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) – In his teaching during the first general audience of the year on Wednesday 7 January, Pope John Paul II reflected on the mystery of Mary’s divine motherhood. “Mary, Mother of God! This truth of faith, profoundly connected with the Christmas festivities is particularly highlighted by the liturgy of the first day of the year, the solemnity of Most Holy Mary Mother of God – the Holy Father said -. Mary is the Mother of the Redeemer; the woman whom God chose to achieve his plan for salvation with at its centre the mystery of the incarnation of the Divine Word.”
The Pope recalled that Christmas is a season which recalls that “a humble creature gave birth to the Creator of the world”, and that Church tradition “has always considered the birth of Jesus and the divine motherhood of Mary two aspects of the incarnation of the Word. From the fact that Our Lady is "Mother of God" stem all the other aspects of her mission; aspects emphasised by the titles with which she is honoured by communities of Christ’s disciples all over the world... Mary’s entire existence is bound closely with that of Jesus. At Christmas she offers Jesus to humanity. On the cross at the supreme moment of the completion of his redeeming mission it is Jesus who makes a gift to humanity of his own Mother, a precious heritage of the redemption. The words which the crucified Lord said to his faithful disciple John were his testament. He entrusted his Mother to John and at the same time he entrusted to Mary’s love the Apostle and every believer.”
Lastly the Pope invited those present to stop in front of the Nativity Scene to contemplate “the silent presence of the Virgin Mother beside the Infant Jesus. The same love and care which she had for her Divine Son she has for us. Let us ask her to guide our steps in the new year which Providence grants us to live.”(S.L.) (Fides Service 8/1/2004 – lines 24; words 335)
