Christmas: January 1st
Octave of Christmas and Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Holyday of Obligation USA)
Other Titles: New Year’s Day; Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; Circumcision of Our Lord
MASS READINGS
January 01, 2004 (Readings on USCCB website)
COLLECT PRAYER
God our Father, may we always profit by the prayers of the Virgin Mother Mary, for you bring us life and salvation through Jesus Christ her Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Recipes (39)
Activities (32)
Prayers (15)
Library (2)
Blog & Podcasts (3)
» Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books!
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. Before the Calendar was reformed this was the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord.
"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." — Catechism of the Catholic Church 721
