The Solemnity of Mary. Mother of God is the first Marian feast appeared in the Western Church. Originally a pagan festival replace the use of "strenae" (gifts), whose rituals contrasted with holiness of Christian celebrations. The "Christmas Sanctae Mariae" began to be celebrated in Rome around the sixth century, probably in conjunction with the dedication of one of the first Marian church in Rome: S. Maria Antiqua in the Roman Forum, just south of the temple of Castor. (Read on ...)
The liturgy was reconnected to the Christmas and January 1 was called "in octava Domini" in memory of the rite performed eight days after the birth of Jesus, the gospel was proclaimed of circumcision, which also gave name to the party that ushered in the new year. The recent reform of the calendar has brought to the January 10 celebration of the divine motherhood, which in 1931 was celebrated on Oct. 11, in memory of the Council of Ephesus (431), who had solemnly enshrined a truth so dear to Christians: Mary is truly the Mother of Christ, the true Son of God
Nestorius had dared to declare: "God so a mother? So do not condemn the Greek mythology, which gives a mother the gods "; S. Cyril of Alexandria, however, had replied: "It will be said: the Virgin is the mother of the gods? To which we reply: The Living Word, subsisting, was generated by the same substance of God the Father, has existed for all eternity ... But time he was made flesh, so we can say that is born of woman. " Jesus, Son of God, born of Mary.
And 'from this excellent and exclusive prerogative accruing to the Virgin all the titles of honor that the attribute, even if we can make between personal holiness of Mary and her divine motherhood, a distinction suggested by Christ himself: "A woman raised her voice in the crowd and said: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you." But he said: "Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it!" "(Lk 11:27 s).
In fact, "Mary, daughter of Adam, consenting to the divine Word, became the mother of Jesus, and embracing a full heart and impeded by no sin, God's saving will, she devoted herself totally as a handmaid of the Lord to the person and work of her Son, serving the mystery of redemption under Him and with Him, by the grace of Almighty God "(Lumen Gentium, 56).
Author: Piero Bargellini
0 comments:
Post a Comment