Mary, Mother of God and our Mother

Fr. Paul Donlan reflects on Mary as Mother of God and our Mother, beginning with the Annunciation, where her total surrender to God allowed the Word to become flesh, explaining the theological basis for calling her “Mother of God,” affirmed at the Council of Ephesus, and explores her unique relationship with the Trinity as daughter of the Father, mother of the Son, and spouse of the Holy Spirit. The meditation draws connections between Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth, the biblical roots of the Hail Mary, and her role as a model of holiness, and clarifies Catholic teaching— that Mary is venerated with “hyperdulia,” not worshiped—and emphasizes her closeness to God, her intercession for us, and her maternal care, entrusted by Jesus from the Cross.