The Church solemnly teaches that Mary is the Mother of God. Most would readily agree that Mary is the mother of Jesus. But how can a mere mortal be the mother of the Deity? The Theotokos controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries settled the matter. With every "Hail Mary," we invoke the Mother of God to "pray for us sinners." Mary is not a goddess. Our Lady appears only a few times in Jesus' public life. But when the Evangelists report her presence, the account is decisive.
Jesus is true God and true man in one Person. In the mystery of the Incarnation, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Word of God, is born of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary did not give birth to Jesus in His humanity apart from His divinity. Mary gave birth to the Person of Jesus, indivisible, true God and true man. Mary is the Mother of God.
At the wedding feast of Cana (cf. Jn. 2:1-11), Jesus somewhat reluctantly performs His first miracle through her intercession. ("Woman, what have you to do with me?") Mary, the Mother of God, also intercedes with her Son on behalf of her children. Jesus loves us with the humanity given to Him by His mother. Her last known words also apply to us, "Do whatever he tells you." A goddess would not thus defer to her Son.
Mary is among kinsfolk visiting Jesus, and Jesus uses the occasion to separate Himself from tribal bonds: "'Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." (Mt. 12:49-50) Jesus isn't insulting Mary by any means. Our Lady does the will of the Father most elegantly because she is without sin.
Mary silently grieves at the foot of the Cross and suffers with her Son as co-redemptrix. At the foot of the Cross, Jesus also appoints Mary as John's mother: "When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!'" (Jn. 19:26-27) The Church traditionally holds that John represents all of humanity, so Mary is also our mother. Mary sees and loves her Divine Son in the humanity we share with Him.
Mary is among the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. The Mother of God also needed the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost incorporates Mary -- with the disciples -- into the Mystical Body of Christ. Mary gave flesh to Jesus as His mother. Mary is our mother and mother of His Mystical Body, the Church. We encounter the risen Lord in holy Mother Church and her sacraments.
The source and summit of the Christian life -- and every sacrament -- is the Mass. The Mass has distinctive Jewish roots (cf. The Spirit of the Liturgy, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger). Just as the Gospels repeatedly remind us that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures, the Mass fulfills Jewish worship. The Liturgy of the Word fulfills and replaces the proclamation of the Word on the Jewish Sabbath in synagogues. The Liturgy of the Eucharist -- re-presenting the single and unrepeatable Sacrifice of the Cross of our redemption -- fulfills and replaces the temple sacrifices.
The traditional ritual of the Mass perpetually guards against the anxious revolutionary spirit that was felt by the Apostles (up until the Ascension) and extends until our day. Just as Marxist and "woke" ideologies hope to cut off the past and remake ourselves in the image of various ideologies, we are often eager to update the Church according to contemporary whims. And the Mass is a frequent target.
While there is always room for organic growth from existing forms (cf. Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 23) in the celebration of the Mass, the many radical departures from the proper celebration of Mass threaten to sever our link to the Gospels, the Old Testament, and Christ Himself. Cool heads are necessary when considering the distracting controversies surrounding the "old" Latin Mass and "new" post-conciliar Mass. We must strictly celebrate Mass according to liturgical guidelines, always focusing on the salvation of souls.
Many are impatient with (or misunderstand) Catholic rituals and prefer the Protestant mega-churches with their dynamic preachers and vibrant so-called Christian music. But we're stuck -- let's be honest -- mostly with 'vanilla' priests delivering the Mass in ritual. The mega-churches have replaced traditional cultic liturgical practices with the cult of personality and a heavy dose of contemporary entertainment. Moored to impressive preachers, their studied rhetoric, and emotional bonding, the assemblies continue for only a generation or two before they close. The great personalities of popes, bishops, and priests also come and go. But the liturgy of the Mass remains thanks to 'vanilla' priests.
By faithfully celebrating Mass according to Catholic ritual, the priest -- in Christ and apostolic authority -- maintains the Church's lifeline to Jesus, the Apostles, and even Jewish worship. Our duty to guard the historical integrity of Catholic teaching, worship, and practice goes far beyond functional activity. Think of the Church as a family, experiencing trials and triumphs throughout history. Through the sacred mediation of the priest in Jesus (as the Head of the Church), we encounter the living God.
The Word of God is conceived in the family of God at the hands of a priest at every Mass. At the Consecration of the bread and wine, the Word is again made Flesh and dwells among us. At every Mass, the Church gives birth to Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Mary is Mother of God, Mother of the Church, and Mother of the Mass. The "singular vessel of devotion" is among the many titles of Mary. So we may even suggest Mary is the singular vessel of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
When we approach Holy Communion, like the shepherds and three kings, we journey to Bethlehem to behold the Newborn King with Mary and Joseph.