Pope Francis: divine motherhood of Mary a gift to us all

(Vatican Radio) On the morning of New Year’s Day, in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis celebrated Mass to mark the Solemnity of Mary, Most Holy Mother of God.

In his homily, the Holy Father focused on the ecclesial, political, and social significance of Mary’s divine motherhood.

“To celebrate Mary as Mother of God and our mother at the beginning of the new year means recalling a certainty that will accompany our days,” said Pope Francis, “we are a people with a Mother; we are not orphans.”

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The Holy Father went on to say, “To celebrate the feast of the Holy Mother of God reminds us that we are not interchangeable items of merchandise or information processors.   We are children, we are family, we are God’s People.”

“Jesus,” Pope Francis said, “at the moment of his ultimate self-sacrifice, on the cross, sought to keep nothing for himself, and in handing over his life, he also handed over to us his Mother.  He told Mary: Here is your son; here are your children.  We too want to receive her into our homes, our families, our communities and nations.”