“When eight days were completed, he was named Jesus.”

Mary and Joseph obeyed the law of Caesar by going to Bethlehem to register for the Roman census. Now, they were obeying the law of God by dedicating their Baby to Him, by circumcision, eight days after His birth and naming Him Jesus. Mary was only doing what her Jewish religion required, so why do we honor Mary on the Octave Day of Christmas in this Solemnity, as the Mother of God?

Mary’s role is integral to our salvation. By Mary saying “yes” to the Angel Gabriel, Jesus, the Son of God, became the Incarnate Word of God, as a man. When we honor Mary, we give glory to her Son, Jesus. He honored His mother at the end of her earthly life, by assuming her body and soul into heaven and crowning her Queen of heaven and earth. This Solemnity of Mary honors her, because of what she became when she said “yes” to the Angel Gabriel. She not only became the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, in His humanity, Mary also became the Mother of God!

Jesus is fully human because He is born of Mary. In becoming human, Jesus did not lose what He is already, the infinite GOD! Therefore, Jesus is fully God and fully Man. He is one Person with two natures, Divine and Human. Mary is the mother of that one Person, Jesus; therefore, Mary is the Mother of God! Through our baptisms, we have become members of the Body of Christ, the Church. Mary is the Mother of Christ; therefore, Mary is also the Mother of the Church. Mary is our mother!

How much should we rely on Mary as our Mother, to guide us through our earthly lives? Mary, the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church, our Mother, means more to me than I can put into words. At my Ordination, I dedicated my Priesthood to the honor of our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary! Every morning, I rededicate my priesthood to her honor. I pray that she guides me through this New Year and every year of my ordained ministry. When I was ordained a bishop, I took her last recorded words in the Bible as my Episcopal Motto: “Do whatever He tells you.”

May each of you live in the love and intercession of our mother, Mary, the Mother of God. May each of you have a holy and blessed New Year!

– Bishop Roy Campbell