Saint Mary, Mother of God: dogmatic-liturgical analysis

Holy Mary, Mother of God is a fundamental pillar in Christian mariology. This title, defined at the Council of Ephesus (431), countered Nestorianism, affirming the divine nature of Jesus Christ and exalting Mary as the true Theotokos (Mother of God) of the Church.

Santa Maria Mãe de Deus: Uma Análise Dogmático-Litúrgica

On this third day of the novena, we delve into the divine mystery: God the Father sends His Son to redeem those under the yoke of the Law. And all of this happens with the birth of Jesus from a woman. The center of the contemplative life of the praying Church is Jesus, the Ineffable Sacrament of the Father, who was born of a woman and offers Himself to those who hear His Word, saving them.

The expression “born of woman” is the oldest chronological reference to Our Lady. The Son of God assumed human nature, like any other man, in the frailty and weakness inherent to the human condition, but without sin.

The incarnation is necessary to rescue the slaves of the Law. This happens through the Cross, before the Passover, when the Father sends his Son, who is born of a woman, to free us from slavery and lead us to freedom through sonship. Thus, all can be in communion with God without fear, through sonship with the Son of the Father and of Mary: Jesus Christ.

And what does this mean for us? As we celebrate, we are “memory” of the woman, for as we listen to the Word, we become contemplative.

In the Gospel, the shepherds went to meet Jesus after the announcement of the angels. They adored the Savior, glorifying and praising God for everything they saw and heard. Mary, aware of the divinity of the Son, keeps these things in her heart. She questions the words and actions of Jesus, admiring Him with wonder, amazement, and even fear.

Meditar na Palavra e nos Eventos

To meditate is to gather the various signs, words, and events along the way, seeking to understand their meaning. Paul did this in the first reading, and Mary, at two moments (Lk 1,19.51), also did so. What makes Mary unique is that she lives this meditation from within, as the protagonist of God’s story with humanity.

The God with us of the second day of the novena continues to be the “Sign” through the Holy Spirit, who becomes flesh in the womb of Mary, reaches His fullness in the times of Christmas and there was Mary, the bridge between the Law and Grace, between slavery and freedom, and later, between death and life with her Assumption.

For a deeper analysis of the title “Mother of God,” consult John Paul II’s Encyclical *Redemptoris Mater*, dedicated to the Mother of the Redeemer and the theological significance of her divine motherhood.

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Holy Mary, Mother of God, continues to be the dogmatic and liturgical key to Marian faith. Celebrating her is entering into the mystery of the Incarnation and contemplating her divine motherhood, which illuminates the entire Church. Read more about the Theotokos in the Encyclical Redemptoris Mater.