Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

by FLL Editorial Team
2014-01-01


那時候,牧羊人急忙去了,找到了瑪利亞和若瑟,及那躺在馬槽中的嬰兒。他們看見以後,就把天使對他們所說有關這小孩的事,傳揚開了;凡聽見的人,都驚訝牧羊人向他們所說的事。
瑪利亞卻把這一切事,默存在自己心中,反覆思想。
牧羊人回去;為了他們所聽見和看見的一切,正如天使向他們所說的一樣,就光榮讚美天主。
滿了八天,孩子應受割損,於是給他起名叫耶穌;這是他降孕母胎前,由天使所起的。
路加福音 2:16-21

Icon of the Mother of God of Kasperov [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Icon of the Mother of God of Kasperov [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

今天的福音描述牧羊人看見瑪利亞、若瑟和在馬槽中的嬰兒以後,光榮讚美天主。

在當時的社會,牧羊人是被排斥的一群。但天主偏偏先派天使給他們傳報喜訊。他們看見眼前的一切和天使所說的一樣,便相信了。我們有他們那份信德嗎?我們會否相信誕生在馬槽中的嬰兒是救主嗎?

教會在今天慶祝天主之母節。天主揀選了瑪利亞作聖子的母親,為此聖母跟天主聖三有著獨特的關係:「童貞瑪利亞以心身承受了天主聖言,為世界帶來了生命,因此被認以一種緊密而不可解除的聯繫和祂相契,她享有天主聖子之母的崇高任務和殊榮,並因此而成為聖父特例寵愛的女兒、聖神的宮殿。」(教會憲章 Lumen Gentium, 53)

耶穌出生後,聖母雖然未明白發生的事有什麼意思,但她把一切默存心中,反覆思量。我們也該效法聖母,在生活中多加反省,領悟天主的啟示。


The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this 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 her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had 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.
Luke 2:16-21

In today's gospel, the shepherds praised God after having found Mary, Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

Shepherds were considered outcasts by the society at that time. Yet God first sent angels to inform them of the Good News. They believed once they saw this. Do we have the simple faith that they had? Would we believe the infant lying in the manger is the Saviour of the world?

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son. As a result, she has a special relationship with the Holy Trinity: Mary "is endowed with the high office and dignity of the Mother of the Son of God, and therefore she is also the beloved daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit" (Lumen gentium, n. 53)

After giving birth to Jesus, even though Mary did not understand the meaning behind all these things, she kept them, reflecting on them in her heart. Like Mary, we should reflect constantly in our daily lives, seek to understand God's will.

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