January 1, 2013

The Octave Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

Scripture proclaims Mary the Mother of God:

Luke 1:43
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

And so she is.  She is the mother of Jesus.  Jesus is God.  Therefore, she is the Mother of God.

Read more about the Mother of God.  And more.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me...eight maids a milking.

The eight maids a milking symbolize the eight beatitudes of Jesus Christ.  The beatitudes come from the  heart of the Church which is the bride of Christ.

Isaiah 66:10-12
King James Version (KJV)
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Lectionary: 18

Reading 1 from the Holy Book of Numbers
Nm 6:22-27

The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”

The Lord recited a prayer to Moses and instructed him to teach it to Aaron and his sons.  Who is Aaron?  Aaron is Moses' elder brother.  He is the first High Priest of God, appointed by God.  Both Moses and Aaron are from the tribe of Levi.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

On this day, we must understand, that the blessing of God, came to us through Mary, the Mother of God.  The blessing of God, is God made man, Jesus Christ.

Reading 2 from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galations.
Gal 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters:When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,born of a woman, born under the law,to ransom those under the law,so that we might receive adoption as sons.

The key words I focus upon, on this day, are BORN OF A WOMAN.  And what a woman!  Conceived without sin, united to the Holy Spirit from the moment of her conception.  Lived her entire life without committing a sin.

We received the blessing of God, through this wonderful woman.

As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.

We are sons of God.  Born of the same mother.  Mary is the mother of all who keep the testimony of Jesus Christ and the Commandments of the Father.

Revelation 12:17
King James Version (KJV)
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
Lk 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.

Having heard the message of the Angels, the shepherds hurried to witness the heavenly news they had received.

When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.

When the shepherds arrived, they reported what the Angels from heaven had told them.

All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.

And Mary treasured all this information in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

Then the shepherds returned to their fields, praising God for all they had heard and seen that night.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

And in eight days, the family took the child to the Temple in obedience to the Law of Moses.

Sincerely,

De Maria