Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

January 1st 2018

Every year on the 1st January, the Church celebrates the great Feast / Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

This Feast dates from the 5th Century A.D when the Council of Ephesus in 431 decided that the best way to counter a Heresy that was attacking the Divinity of Jesus, was to declare the Blessed Virgin Mary as being Mother of God.

Mary was declared to be the "God Bearer" or Theotokos in Greek.

The two natures of Jesus Christ being both truly God and truly Man were thereby confirmed.

This great Feast of Mary, Mother of God has been upheld and celebrated throughout both the Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic) Churches since 431 AD. 

It was sadly an intrinsic part of the Protestant "Reformation" that the role of Mary as Mother of the Church, Mother of the Saviour and Mother of the Redeemed was denigrated and disrespected.

A period of Iconoclastic sacrilege became English State Policy starting under Edward VI, then Elizabeth 1st and her successors aided by Cromwell and his money grabbing Monastery despoiling thugs. 

Nearly all statues and stained glass windows depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary were smashed.

Beautiful works of art that had stood in churches all over England, Scotland and Wales for hundreds of years were wantonly and digracefuly desecrated in the name of "the new religion" and to get rid of "Popish superstition"

The consequence among many good Christian Protestant people today is a complete ignorance of the actual history of Christianity before the "Reformation" and the great devotion to Mary, Mother of God throughout the centuries by their Catholic ancestors and for many many centuries before Luther ever got "inspired"

By the way, it always amuses me that Protestants believe the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles but that somehow the Holy Spirit disappeared after the "Early Church" of the 1st century AD and that somehow the Church, (that Jesus Christ promised the gates of Hell would not prevail against), became "corrupted" The Holy Spirit some how disappeared from history and then reappeared in the 16th century onto Luther and the Protestant "Reformers"!! 

oh please spare me such unhistorical and untheological nonsense.

"They have ears but they cannot hear and eyes but they cannot see."

"Theotokos"

The God Bearer

The Title Mother of God seems strange to our modern ears, it seems to be a ridiculous denigration of Almighty God. 

Does God have or need a Mother??? of course not, nobody would be so foolish as to believe that God who created the Universe out of nothing has a "Mother"

The purpose of the Title is to define who Jesus Christ is.

Jesus Christ, the Saviour is both Truly God and Truly Man. 

Old Heresies and some very modern ones challenge this ascertion and say No, He was only Human and born of a Human being.

Others say No, He was Divine and only appeared to be a Human.

Others say No, He was Human but the Son of God, inferior to God but partially Divine.

Some Heresies say Jesus was a Prophet. Some say He was a Mystical Teacher.

Some Heresies say Jesus was a Magician, some say Jesus was a Freedom Fighter some say a Rebel against the Roman occupation. 

Some Heresies say Jesus never wanted to challenge the High Priest of the Jewish Temple or the Jewish or Roman authorities at all.

Some heresies say Jesus did not die on the Cross.

Some heresies say Jesus did not rise from the dead.

Some heresies say there never was a Jesus. 

some heresies say that He never intended to found a religion.

Some Heresies say Jesus did not pass on His teaching authority to the St Peter and the Apostles and thereby to the Church down the centuries.

Some heresies say Jesus was a misunderstood Jewish Prophet like hundreds before him.

The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church both Eastern and Western branches says this:

Mary is Mother of God. 

Therefore Jesus Christ whom she gave birth to without loss of her virginity is both True God and True Man. 

The second person of the Blessed Trinity took flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary.

Succinct and true.

As the Nicene Creed (4th century) says: "For us Men and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit,  He became incarnated of the Virgin Mary and was made Man"

"And The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us"

Et Verbum Carum Factus Est"

"Mater et Dei"

Mother of God

The Animals Adore Their Creator

"The Animals Adore Their Creator"

"Behold"

There has been some speculation recently amongst Academics, Historians and Theologians, about whether there were any animals present at the Nativity of Jesus Christ, in Bethlehem of Judea, in the first century A.D.
(Anno Domini- The Year of Our Lord)

His Holiness, Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, wrote in a book he published in 2011 (before he regrettably but understandably Abdicated the Papacy and the Throne of Peter,) that it was a "possibility" that there were "actually no animals present at the Nativity" !!

His Holiness wrote that the tradition of placing animals and birds in the Nativity Crib scene was probably of early Medieval origin and was not based on any earlier practice that could be "objectively proven". Huhh.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI conjectured, that this did not distract from the central message of Christs birth, and that in the overall scheme of things, it didnt really matter if there were any animals present at the birth of Jesus or not!

Understandable, Rational and Thoughtful. His Holiness meant well, he was a brilliant intelligent and cultured Successor of the Blessed Apostle Peter,
BUT IT WAS VERY SHOCKING!
Some Roman Catholics are still reeling from this throwaway statement.

It has sent shock waves reverberating around the globe and has caused unnecessary distress to many in the Church and I would speculate, especially to those sensitive creatures in the Animal Kingdom that we all love.

A group of outraged Animals

The only consolation is that it was a personal opinion of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the time and not an Infallible Papal pronouncement about Roman Catholic Doctrine. 

Phew! and THANK GOD FOR THAT!

Obviously there were Animals present at the Nativity, 

THEY CAME TO ADORE THEIR CREATOR.

Some say, the  tradition of creating a Nativity Scene in Churches and then eventually Christian homes, originates from around the time of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1215 approx.

Saint Francis had a great love of animals, he is often depicted in pictures, Mosaics and Statues with Animals, and in fact he is their Patron Saint and they love him.

Saint Francis of Assisi

St Francis, who was from a very wealthy family and who renounced his wealth and privilege to embrace complete poverty and who eventually founded the Franciscan Order, used the physical Nativity Scene to emphasise Gods Incarnation as Jesus Christ and His love of creation, and all His creatures.

St Francis also had the idea of promoting the Nativity Scene as displaying to the world and the observer, that Jesus Christ was both True God and True Man.
That the Incarnation was real and tangible.
That:

 "The Word was Made Flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us".

St Francis was also very kind to Animals and Birds and recognised in them the unseen hand of the Creator. 

St Francis was Fab indeed.

The devotion of making a Nativity Scene spread throughout Christendom and became a widespread practice in all Churches by the 14th Century.

"The Nativity of The Lord"

In current western culture, where a "New Paganism" is holding sway over the hearts and minds of many souls, it is important that every year, the Church honours and promotes the Nativity of Jesus Christ by displaying scenes of the birth (Nativity) of Christ.

This counters the current Pagan / Secular cultural message of :

1. Materialism "Things / Items will bring you happiness and joy", 

2. Greed "I want More More More" 

3.  Selfishness "Me Me Me"

4. Superficiality "Santi and the Reindeers, Ho Ho Ho and snowmen"

The message of the Nativity of Jesus, is that God became Man in the womb of the Virgin Mary and was born in time and history. 

The second Person of the Holy and Immortal Trinity, The Most High God, our Creator, He who Created the Sun Moon and Stars, took flesh and was born of a Human Being.

As the Nicene Creed very simply but profoundly states:

"For us Men and for our Salvation, He came down from Heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and was made Man"

There are modern "Ignorant / Uneducated persons" who take issue with the word "Men" and "Man" and who say this is sexist language and exclusive of women.

These persons are completely ignorant of education and the context of language and choose to remain so, as it suits their Pagan / Secular agenda.

They choose to misunderstand that the word "Men" refers to "Mankind" as in ALL HUMAN BEINGS. (Hominibus in the Latin text of the Creed)

They need to get educated.

The same ignorant Pagans / Heathens / Secularists choose to ignore that the Highest Honour and Status for any Human Being given by the Roman Catholic Church, is given to a Woman. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Immacualate Virgin Mary, 

Mother of Our Saviour

As the famous Hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary goes:

"O Purest of Creatures, Sweet Mother, Sweet Maid,The One Spotless Womb Wherein Jesus Was Laid,Dark Night Has Come Down on Us Mother and We,Look Out For Thy Shining,Sweet Star Of The Sea."

Yes the greatest Honour and Privilege given to any Creature, is that given by Almighty God to Mary, the Ever Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and God, who is forever, the Light of the World.

"The Animals Adore Their Creator"

Yes, oh Yes, many many animals and birds were present at the Nativity of Our Lord.

They came to Adore and Worship their Creator.

"The Angels and Animals in Adoration"

Animals understand and know intuitively who their Creator is. 

They know who it is who has made them out of nothing, 

They know how dependent they are on the Creator for their every need,

They know that God loves and cares for them, 

They know that God created them in their Mothers wombs, 

They know that God became Man in the womb of the Virgin Mary,

It is just so sad that many of us Humans choose not to know.

"The Nativity"

Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Et in Terra, Pax Hominibus.

Glory to God in the Highest Heaven,And on Earth Peace to Mankind.

"Joy to the World, The Saviours Born", 

Happy Feast of the Nativity / Christmas 2017.

The Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception of 

the Blessed Virgin Mary

December 8th

"The Immaculate Conception" by Murillo

There are a large amount of people who are ignorant of important facts about the "Immaculate Conception" through no fault of their own.

This is a sad but inevitable consequence of a wishy washy, dumbed down Catholicism in the Catholic school system, lack of leadership and doctrinal teaching by the Irish Catholic Bishops and Priests since the 1960s and a growing and rampant modern Paganism / none belief.

Most people get the "Immaculate Conception" confused with the "Virgin birth" and think it is referring to the conception of Christ.

This is understandable, but completely incorrect.

The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was finally promulgated and formally defined as an Infallible Dogma of the Church in 1854 by Pope Pius IX after exhaustive consultation with all the Bishops of the world.

The subject had been discussed and generally believed for centuries since approximately the 4th Century following the decision of the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD to declare that Mary was "Mother of God" due to Jesus Christ being both True God and True Man, Truly Human and Truly Divine, both natures being present in the person of Jesus.

"Mater et Dei" Mother of God

This Title, Mother of God, was granted in order to emphasise the Divinity of Jesus, against various Heresies. 

These Heretical sects such as the "Gnostics," were teaching that Jesus was only Human or that He was only partly Human,  or even that He was only Divine and was not really a Human Being at all.

To counteract this Heresy, the General Church Council of Ephesus under the Authority of the Pope, Pope Celestine I, granted the Blessed Virgin Mary the title of "Mother of God"

This Title "Mother of God" is all about Jesus and not about Mary, although she is obviously honoured in the Title as well.

Mother of God is really a Title to defend and honour Jesus Christ who was Truly God and who became incarnated as a Human Being from a Human Being.

"Mother Most Pure"

The Immaculate Conception is actually about Jesus Christ.
Mary was preserved free from the sinfulness that affects all humans (Original Sin) by God because she was privileged to be chosen to be the Mother of the Saviour.

The proclaimed Roman Catholic dogma states, "that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin."^[3] 

This is the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, it is Marys Conception in her mothers womb, not the conception of Jesus.

"Mater Ecclesia"

"We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the New Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in Heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the body of Christ, the people of God, which is the Church" 

(Pope Paul VI 1964) Mater Ecclesia.(Mother of the Church)

Interestingly, 4 years after the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was announced in 1854, it received Heavenly confirmation during the Apparitions of  the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous (now Saint Bernadette) at Lourdes in southern France in 1858.

When requested to state her name, the beautiful lady of the Apparitions of Lourdes, raised her eyes to Heaven, smiled and said: 

"I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION"

Large Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes located in the processional esplanade 

of the beautiful Sanctuary of Lourdes, France.

Many Churches and Altars have been dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.

Here are a few lovely examples:

Oh what a lovely "Altar of the Immaculate Conception"

Oh what a delightful "Altar of the Immaculate Conception"

Here is a picture of a very nice Fireman in Rome, placing a wreath of flowers on the Statue of the Immaculate Conception on behalf of the Holy Father, the Pope, which occurs every December 8th.

The Statue is mounted on a very tall column at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome. (Piazza de Spagna)

"Immaculate Queen of Heaven, Pray for Us"

Pope Benedict XVI actually went up in the cherry picker with the Fireman in 2010 and placed the wreath on the Blessed Virgins arm himself!  

Benedict XVI was fab and great. 

However, Vatican officials subsequently felt that from a Risk Analysis point of view, it was safer for the Fireman to do it alone in future.

I suppose it wouldnt look good for the Fire Department in Rome if the Pope fell off the cherry picker with Sky News televising live!

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI 

I also want to mention the "Medal of the Immaculate Conception" or as it is known the "Miraculous Medal" due to the extraordinary amount of graces and conversions wrought due to it.

This gives me an opportunity to show a few lovely pictures:

Many people wear a Miraculous Medal, the devotion is very widespread.

It is not a magical talisman, neither is it superstition.

The Immaculate Virgin Mary appeared to Catherine Laboure, (a Daughter of Charity of St Vincent de Paul )in Paris in 1830.

Saint Catherine Laboure 

Daughter of Charity.

Incorrupt body of St Catherine Laboure, 

Chapel of the Miraculous Medal Apparitions,

Rue de Bac

Paris.

In these Apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary asked for a Medal to be struck with the words  

"O MARY CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN, PRAY FOR US WHO HAVE RECOURSE TO THEE" 

engraved on it. During the course of the Apparitions, Mary promised great graces to those who would wear the Medal.

Immediately it was struck, the stories of healing, conversion and miracles spread throughout Paris.

One of these miracles of conversion was of a Jewish gentleman Mr Rattisbonne,a prominent Jeweller, who was notorious in Paris for his Anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-church newspaper column.

During a severe thunderstorm, he took temporary shelter in a Catholic Church.

Out of curiosity he went inside, where he witnessed a "Statue of the Blessed Virgin become alive and animated" and who had "rays of light emanating from her hands which penetrated my soul, my very being, to its depths". 

He fell to his knees and from that moment converted to the Roman Catholic faith.

Mr Rattisbonne was instrumental in persuading the Archbishop of Paris, to permit the devotion of the Miraculous Medal to be promulgated throughout France and the World. 

O Mary Conceived without Sin, Pray for Us who have Recourse to Thee

Fabulous Altar of the Miraculous Medal Apparitions

Rue de Bac, Paris.

The United States of America has as its Patroness, the "Immaculate Conception"

A beautiful Basilica  and "National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception" has been built in Washington DC.

Basilica and National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 

Washington DC, USA

The Book of Revelation in the Bible has an interesting passage that many believe foretells the Maternal role that God has granted Mary in Salvation history:

"A Woman clothed with the Sun, with the Moon under her feet and with a Crown of Twelve Stars on her head"

Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception to all.

December 8th 2017.

The Christmas Geese

"The Christmas Geese"

I was once told this very interesting story regarding the Christmas Geese.

I have found it useful in helping people who are basically living a superficial, self centred, Godless existence, to pause and reflect about the meaning of life.

We are entering an insane period of intense Materialism, Commercialism, Spending, Gluttony and Selfishness, as we approach the Feast of the Nativity of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, on 25th December.

The insanity of this period is made manifest by the attempts of the Pagans / Secularists to take Christ out of Christmas and the result is a bland joyless and Godless "Winter Festival" "Winterville" and "Winter Wonderland"

I kid you not!

Yes, "Winterfest" is now the alternative to Christmas for the Pagans, who dont want to offend anyone in our multi-cultural Ireland, but who are quite happy offending every Christian in it.

Its very sad and soulless.

There are children nowadays who think the 25th December is actually the Birthday of Santa Claus.  I rest my case.

No Nativity story or plays, no Christmas eve, no Christmas cards, no Midnight Mass, no Virgin birth, no MASS OF CHRIST on Christmas Day. (Christ-Mass)

Instead its all:

Ho Ho Ho, Father Christmas (your very lucky if he is called that as it has Priestly overtones) "Santa", "Santa-Claus" "Santi" "Santi and the Reindeers", Ad Nauseum.

 Pine trees, Snowmen, Pantos, Twinkling lights, Excessive Food, Excessive Alcohol with all its negative impacts and of course, excessive spending.

Its all about ME ME ME and lets pretend were doing it for the Kids.

The best gift they could give to their children, is the gift of a living FAITH in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.

Oh I have to give it to the Secularists / Pagans, they know how to party, but didnt they always, from antiquity, know how to do that ? 

The following story, might help all of us to enjoy the Christmas period with some perspective, with Christian Joy, Love and Hope for the future.

 

I will now retell the story of the "Christmas Geese":

There was once an elderly woman called Breda, living on a very small Irish farm, her husband had died several years earlier and her children were grown up and living abroad.

It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve, she was alone in the house, cooking and reflecting on the fact that her son and daughter had their own families now and were abroad, living their own lives and couldnt get home for Christmas this particular year.

She was happy with her lot, she knew her family would be coming home for New Year, she had very good neighbours and she had good health.

Breda had a lot to thank Almighty God for.

The telephone rang and it was her neighbour wondering if she was going to come with her to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the local Church.

Oh Mary, she said, 

I certainly wont be going to any Church this Christmas eve.

Oh why is that Breda? asked her very curious neighbour.

Well Mary, of course I believe in God who created the Universe out of nothing,

I believe He created the Sun, Moon and Stars, the Animals, Birds and Fish, the Mountains, Seas and Oceans.

But I just cant believe He became a little human baby, completely defenceless and helpless, it doesnt make any rational sense, sure why would God want to do that? The whole story of the Nativity is complete nonsense if you ask me.

Eventually after some small talk about the weather, the phone call with the neighbour ended.

Shortly after this, Breda heard a loud commotion going on outside her window in the Farmyard.

She went outside to see what the commotion was all about.

A small flock of wild geese had landed in the farmyard and were honking, hooting and head bobbing around the place.

She stared at the Wild Geese, so beautiful with wonderful plumage and with majestic necks and wings, flapping around her farm, honking loudly and obviously very animated by something she couldnt see. 

Oh what on earth am I going to do with these Geese she said to herself?

The evening is coming on and if they dont fly away from here soon, the foxes will arrive during the night and devour them all.

She tried shooing them away, but they flatly refused to take off and each time the honking and the flapping of wings would intensify, they were determined not to leave her farmyard.

As dusk was descending, Breda thought to herself, I know what I will do, if I open the barn and turn on the light inside they can then see it is a safe haven for the night.

Maybe they will go in then and I can close the door behind them to protect them from the Foxes.

So the barn doors were opened wide with a light turned on inside and Breda proceeded to attempt to shoo the very animated Geese inside.

The Geese would have none of it, they would not fly away and neither would they be shooed into this open barn.

Each time Breda attempted to get them into safety, they would rebel and go the opposite way.

This went on untill sundown and eventually darkness enveloped them all.

After alot of effort, Breda finally gave up her frantic attempts, she sat down on the doorstep and burst into tears of utter frustration.

She said to herself:

"If only I could become a Goose for a few moments, Id be able to speak to them in their own language. Id tell them how much I love them and want to protect them from the Fox"
And at that moment, Breda understood that the story of the Nativity was all true.

That was why God became a human being in the person of Jesus.

He lowered Himself to become one of us, so that He could speak to us in our own language and show us how much He loves us.

"And The Word was made flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us"

The Wild Geese understood that the message they had been entrusted to deliver to Breda, had been delivered. They had fulfilled their duty to God.

They spread their wings and took off to a safe refuge for the night.

Breda picked up the phone to her neighbour and arranged to accompany her to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.

That Christmas Eve, she knelt in silent prayer before the Nativity Scene in the Church, in awe and wonder and thanksgiving.

              "Gloria in Excelsis Deo,  

            Et in Terra Pax Hominibus".

        "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven 

                and on earth peace to mankind".

"The Animals Adore Their Creator"

Happy Christmas 2017