The Mirror (Mother of God homily)

 In considering how to summarize this holy day of obligation,

I decided the concept I want to give you is “mirror.”

Think of a mirror. Now let’s apply it to this day.

First, we have the title: Mary, Mother of God.

We are happy to honor Mary—and Jesus is happy that we honor her—

but this title is not primarily focused on her.

Rather, it makes a powerful statement about who Jesus is:

He is God; therefore, Mary is the Mother of… whom?

See how that works?

And now it does indeed become about Mary.

Mary is the mirror: everything for her is about reflecting her Son.

Recall what we celebrated on December 8:

how, from the first moment of her conception,

she was preserved from sin.

Why? Because the Savior deserved an immaculate mirror.

Now consider another aspect in today’s observance:

Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day, which falls today.

This small detail reminds us of so much.

Mary’s Son, who is God, is also completely human.

He entered not only the human family but the Jewish family.

Let’s recall the calling of the Jewish people.

It began with Abraham, who was told that in his descendant—singular—

all nations would be blessed.

It continued with the children of Israel,

whom God delivered from slavery in Egypt

and with whom he formed a covenant at Mount Sinai.

Most of our Bible is about God’s work among this people.

They were chosen to be a mirror; to reflect God’s glory to the world.

That his people so often proved poor mirrors

actually makes the story more powerful,

because it shows that God’s purpose always prevails 

despite human failure.

The plan was that this Chosen People would give the world a Messiah.

I emphasize, a choice God made.

Let me pause here to notice something disturbing in our time.

There is a revival of an ancient darkness called anti-Semitism.

Some of it takes the form of violence and harassment,

including that terrible attack in Australia recently;

and we have seen violence in our own country as well.

There is also a slicker form online:

popular personalities who deny the Holocaust

and peddle crackpot race theories,

all with a smile, promising the “inside story.”

I do not want this to be my main point, but I must say it clearly:

this hostility toward the Jews is crackpot and Satanic.

Remember: God chose a Jewish mother for himself,

and chose to become a Jew himself.

As Saint Paul says in Romans,

“The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.”

Now, returning to the meaning of this day,

something else happens: the Messiah is given his name.

This connects beautifully to the first reading,

where Aaron blesses the people with the Name of God.

Allow me a short detour into history.

God revealed his Name to Moses in the burning bush: “I AM WHO AM.”

So great was the reverence for this Name that, over time,

it was almost never pronounced aloud.

Yet on the annual Day of Atonement,

the high priest would speak the Divine Name,

And the people fell on their faces.

Picture that scene.

Now return to the Gospel:

the baby Jesus is circumcised and named.

This involves shedding a small amount of blood.

Even as we celebrate Christmas, 

the shadow of the Cross falls across the crib.

Still, the point remains that, on this occasion,

the Divine Name is spoken, a new Divine Name:

Jesus, which means “God saves.”

So, we come to the first, the last, and the best mirror: Jesus himself.

Scripture often speaks of the “face of God,”

emphasizing that to see His Face was impossible, even deadly.

But with Jesus’ birth, God now truly has a human face.

Mary gives us this Gift;

God, through the Jewish people, gives us this Gift. 

Will you be a mirror?

Saint Paul reminds us 

that you and I have been adopted into this family.

Isn’t this our calling—to be his mirror?