The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, is the celebration of the Mother of Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL PASSAGE:Luke 2:16-21
“The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Jospeh, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about his child. 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 hear heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it has been told to them.
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.”
REFLECTIONS:
Today’s Gospel reading contains the confirmation of the message of the angel proclaimed to the shepherds: a great blessing for all the people. Mary, who gave her “yes” to God, and carried Jesus, the Savior of the world, is honored as the Holy Mother of God.
As they went into Bethlehem, the shepherds found Mary, Jospeh, and the infant Jesus. They shared their joy and amazement with the Holy Family, who were equally surprised by their visitors and their message.
The shepherds honored Jesus as the promised Messiah. They repeated the words of the angel, according to the prophecy of Isaiah: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Isiah 9:6-7), which revealed the title of the newborn as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.” –They who knew that they knew nothing spoke out with the tongues of angels, singing praises to God.
The magi, who presented Jesus with the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, refined the understanding of Jesus’ mission (Matthew 2:11). They, who were aware of the limits of their knowledge, paid homage to a King, a High Priest, and the Suffering Servant, who will save the people from the power of sin and death.
Mary and Joseph pondered the meaning of the declarations and the gifts. Especially Mary, who had the promise from the angel that the child “…a son named Jesus, …will be the Son of the Most High” treasured every gesture and image in her heart (Luke 2:19). Since the visit of the angel Gabriel, she had a promise that made her “greatly perplexed and pondering what [the angel’s words] meant.” (Luke 1:28). This pondering did not prevent her from fully agreeing with God’s plan, so that in time, it may gradually transform into a sense of wonder. Mary marvelled at the unfolding of God’s plan and was observant of its every detail.
The Church officially recognized Mary as the Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. (1) The significance of the title “Theotókos” is that Mary was not only the mother of the man named Jesus, but the mother of Jesus the Christ, in whom two natures, divine and human were equally present. (1) This is what we affirm in the Nicene Creed when we confess that “[The Lord Jesus Christ] is begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the power of the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.” (2)
Mary accompanied Jesus throughout his life and stood faithfully at the foot of the cross (John 19:25). She was also present with the first apostles and disciples during the Resurrection, “…being united to Christ in a way that is unique and far surpasses any other believer.” (3) Her greatness lies is the fact that she allowed the Holy Spirit to entirely operate in her and through her. According to the United States Catholic Bishops, she was “the first and perfect disciple of Christ.” (3)
According to the US Catholic Bishops, Mary always directs us to Christ; this is her unique position and role. She is honored because Jesus honored her mother and father and God chose the virgin Mary as a holy and dignified fully human being who was “conceived without sin” to carry the son of God. The Immaculate conception of Mary is a formally defined dogma of the Catholic Church since Pope Pius declared it in 1854. (4)
Pope Pius XII composed arguably the most beautiful prayer to Mary Immaculate for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954). The last two verses of this prayer are below: (5)
“…O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In thy name, resounding harmoniously in Heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.
Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with thee, we may repeat before thy throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around thine altars: Thou art all-beautiful, O Mary! Thou art the glory, thou art the joy, thou art the honor of our people! Amen.”
Pope Francis’s Prayer to the Immaculate (2013 and 2022) is an example of a humble and sincere prayer to Mary to intercede for the families, young people, the elderly, and for peace in the world: (6,7)
“You are all-beautiful, O Mary!
In you is the fullness of joy born of life with God.Help us never to forget the meaning of our earthly journey:
May the kindly light of faith illumine our days,
the comforting power of hope direct our steps,
the contagious warmth of love stir our hearts;
and may our gaze be fixed on God, in whom true joy is found.You are all-beautiful, O Mary!
Hear our prayer, graciously hear our plea:
May the beauty of God’s merciful love in Jesus abide in our hearts,
and may this divine beauty save us, our city and the entire world.”
Any Marian prayer that asks for Mary’s intercession is a fitting tribute to Our Mother in Heaven today. (8) So are the hymns of Lourdes and Fatima. (9,10)
Sources:
- Pope John Paul II (1996). Church Proclaims Mary Mother of God. L’Osservatore Romano. Weekly Edition in English. 4 December 1996, Page 11. Retrieved from: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/church-proclaims-mary-mother-of-god-8055 Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (2025). What We Believe. The Nicene Creed. Retrieved from: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- Wise, T. (2025). Pope Leo Declares Jesus Alone Saved the World, Rejects Title of Mary as ‘Co-Redeemer.’ The Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved from: https://cbn.com/news/world/pope-leo-declares-jesus-alone-saved-world-rejects-title-mary-co-redeemer Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- Catholic Answers (2025). What is the Immaculate Conception? Retrieved from: https://www.catholic.com/tract/immaculate-conception-and-assumption. Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- Pope Pius XII (1953-1954). Prayer of Pope Pius XII to Immaculate Conception. District of the USA Society of Saint Pius X. Retrieved from: https://sspx.org/en/prayer-pope-pius-xii-immaculate-conception-30980. Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- The Holy See (2013). Pope Francis. Prayer to the Immaculate. Retrieved from: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/prayers/documents/papa-francesco_preghiere Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- Pope Francis (2022). Full text of Pope Francis’ prayer on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Vatican News. Retrieved from: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-12/pope-francis-prayer-full-text-immaculate-conception Accessed: December 29, 2025.
- Catholic Devotions (2021-22). Traditional Catholic Prayers in English and Latin. Printed by Amazon.ca. Acheson, AB.
- Emmaus Music (2021). Immaculate Mary. Lourdes Hymn. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eklCqcJLPI8
- MC Catholic Journey (2021). Ave de Fatima (English Version). Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/search?q=ave+ave+ave+maria%2C+ave+ave+ave+maria+fatima. Accessed: December 29, 2025.