Today, we celebrate 4 major themes in this one day. First, It’s the eighth day of Christmas. The Church sees both Easter and Christmas of such sublime importance that we are to celebrate them for eight straight days. I bet some of you kids out there are thinking that it would be cool to get Christmas gifts eight straight days, I know. ... But, indeed the Church sees this as the final day of a week of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Second, we know that on the eighth day according to custom and law, jewish boys were circumcised known as Brit Milah. This was to signify their adherence to the covenant extended to Abraham and his descendants. Recognizing that Jesus as a babe received his circumcision shows us that he did not come to overturn the law but to fulfill it. 

The third aspect of this day is the New Year. Really, this can be seen as an extension of the first two. The eighth day has long been understood as the day of a new creation. Jesus’ birth ushers in a new creation: the fulfillment of time has come. Thus, on this beginning of a new calendar year we can meditate on this aspect of our faith. 

Fourth and finally, today is the feast of Mary, the mother of God. This is where we recognize that Mary did not just give birth to a human baby, but her baby was divine in origin who has two nature (Divine and human). Its easy for us to get caught up in the cute little baby pictures and forget that this is really God we are talking about. So, we celebrate this great feast of Mary, the mother of God on the eighth day of Christmas. So the four themes today are the eighth day of Christmas, the circumcision, the new year, and Mary, the Mother of God. I would like to look at the last one a little bit more.


What does it mean for us to say that Mary is the Mother of God? Mother of Jesus or theotokos - the God - bearer. These were fighting words in the 5th century. Would you believe someone would try to smash a rock over your head if you answered the wrong way. We had a great council in the 5th century called the council of Ephesus that told us that yes, we can say that Mary is the Mother of God. Now we arent say that Mary was superior to God or that Mary is a goddess, NO! But, we are saying is that Mary’s Son is God!!!! This is the most important thing that we can take from today’s feast. That Mary’s Son is God. 

Think about it as Joseph took Mary’s hand they gazed into the face of God. Gods face shined upon them. That would have been something to behold. As it is every newborn child tends to have us gravitate to their face. We love to make them smile making all sorts of funny sounds and gestures. Even grown men will do the strangest things in front of a babe. Well, this babe, this one from Bethelehem, this babe’s face shown so brilliantly because it was divine. People didnt make face but they knelt in worship. They would look upon the tiny little 8 lb, 6 ounce newborn infant Jesus and they would see the face of God. 

It used to be that seeing the face of God would bring about instant death, but here we see the face of God made visible and this time it brings life. Its not something to hide from as Adam and Eve hid from but one that we are attracted to. If you do experience shame and cant look at the infant Jesus face to face, have that sin forgiven and take in the sight of God, allow youself to bask in the glow of the God-man.

The second idea I want to take from Mary, as mother of God is her motherhood. Motherhood is intrinsic to being woman. All women are called to motherhood. Now, let me get this right, Im not saying that all women are called to have babies. Sister Mary Antonio over there aint having a baby. Im saying that all women are called to be mothers, either physically, spiritually, or socially. To be a mother is to bring about life and to nurture life. Women are to be life bearers. Mary, was the ultimate life-bearer. She brought God into the world to bring us all life. Mary is therefore the perfect example of motherhood. She now is our mother, if you ask her to be, as she is the mother of the Son of God. Her motherhood allows us to be the sons and daughters of God the most high. 

My friends on this eighth day of Christmas, the day of Jesus’ circumcision, the new year and the day we remember Mary as the Mother of God, may we consecrate our families to her. Let’s take up again her prayer the rosary in our families and in our lives and may we allow her to lead us to her Son. May we allow her to be our Mother as she was the mother of Jesus.