In this year of Jesus in preparation for the opening of the third millennium of Christianity we fly to the patronage of the Mother of God to assist us in contemplating her Son. Within Mary's Immaculate heart is the pure adoration of the Blessed Trinity and as we draw close to this heart we too are caught up in ever greater and more perfect worship of the Lord.

We consider Mary under the title "Mother of God" by which the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. addressed her and by which the truth of Christ's divinity, humanity and hypostatic union are safeguarded. For Mary is the Mother of Jesus, and Jesus is God, therefore, Mary is the Mother of God due to the union of the divine and human natures in the one divine Person of the Son. Mary is not the mother of only Christ's humanity, but of the whole Christ. She was not the cause of the existence of His divinity, but she was truly His mother, and was mother not of only one of His natures, but of Him.

The final speech of the Council of Ephesus was a prayer to the Mother of God. First we shall quote from the prayer and then explain its meaning.

We greet you, Mary, Mother of God, venerable treasure of the whole world, light that has never gone out. . . , neverdestroyed temple containing the one who cannot be contained, Mother and Virgin . . . , By you the Trinity is blessed, by you the Cross is venerated throughout the Whole world, by you heaven is thrown into joy, by you the angels and archangels are delighted, by you the demons are put to flight, by you the devil tempter is thrown from heaven, by you the fallen creature is raised to heaven, by you the whole world in the grip of idolatry has reached the knowledge of truth, by you holy Baptism coma to those who believe, by you the oil of gladness, by you churches are founded tbrougbout,the world, by you peoples are led to conversion.

Venerable treasure of the whole world

Mary is indeed the treasure of the whole world because in her we find that perfect Yes spoken to God, that immaculate fiat by which our divine Redeemer was welcomed into the world. Mary is the venerable treasure of all mankind because in her we find Jesus, the pearl of great price. We owe to Mary a great debt of gratitude for by her consent the Son became man.

Light that has never gone out 

The Council of Ephesus by referring to Mary as the light that has never gone out, draws our attention to the fact that Jesus, the light of the world, shines resplendently through Mary, for she is like a pure window with no stain of dirt, through which He shines His light upon the world. As we imitate Mary in her innocence, faith and obedience, our windows too win become more spotless and pure allowing Christ to shine through us to an ever greater degree. The light of Christ never ceased shining through Mary because she never committed a venial or mortal sin, but always returned love for Love,

Never destroyed temple containing the one who cannot be contained

Mary is a creature, yet she contained in her womb the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity who with the Father and the Spirit created the world. The Eternal Son chose to redeem us through the instrumentality of His human nature which He assumed through the fiat of Mary. In choosing such a weak instrument as our nature to accomplish the immense task of our redemption God chooses to enter our world in such a way that He is confined to Mary's womb for nine months. This is a profound mystery: orunipotence in bonds (cf. Cardinal Newman's Sermon by this title).

By you the Trinity is blessed.. the Cross is venerated. 

Mary's fiat paved the way for a similar obedience in the hearts of those who would put faith in her Son. By her obedience Mary unties the knot of Eve's disobedience and this New Eve offers the Trinity perfect worship and venerates the Cross by her presence beneath Christ crucified . In this she is a model and a doorway for the many who would come after her to worship the Trinity and venerate the Cross.

By you heaven is thrown Into joy .. the angel and archangels are delighted. 

There is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than over those who have no need of repentance. Mary's obedience is the cause of joy in Heaven for through her submission to God's will, she has advanced on her pilgrimage of faith before the whole People of God and has been the vehicle of countless conversions of sinners, assisting them through her prayers to respond in obedience to God.

By you the demons are put to flight, by you the devil tempter is thrown from heaven: 

At the suggestion of the devil, Adam and Eve fell from grace through disobedience to God's command. It was thus that the devil gained entrance into this world, but as Mary spoke on behalf of all mankind that immaculate fiat which would forever open this world to the redeeming power of Christ, the devil lost his dominion over the hearts of those who imitated Mary 'in her faith and obedience to God.

By you the whole world in the grip of idolatry has reached the knowledge of truth:

Jesus, who said, "I am the way, the truth and the life," has chosen Mary, the humble handmaiden of the Lord, to be the one through whom He would destroy all heresies. For the truth of Jesus' humanity is guarded by the fact that He has a true human mother. The truth of Jesus' divinity is guarded by Elizabeth addressing Mary as the "Mother of my Lord." The truth of Christ having real power to redeem fallen humamity is seen in his redemption of Mary through her Immaculate Conception. The truth of Christ's definitive triumph over death is seen in Mary's Assumption. The truth that Christ desires all of us to reign with him (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12) is seen in Mary's Coronation. In Mary we see embodied the reality of the truths of our faith.

By you holy Baptism comes to those who believe, by you the oil of gladness, by you churches are founded throughout the world, by you peoples are led to conversion:

Here the Council of Ephesus refers to Mary's role in helping dispose us to the grace of the sacraments (giving the example of Baptism and Confirmation (oil of gladness)). Mary's 'baptism' was her Immaculate Conception by which Christ saved her from sin in giving her this unique privilege. Mary's 'confirmation' was at Pentecost when she received a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit to give her strength in her role as Mother of the infant Church. In Mary's presence in the upper room, we see her continued fidelity and openness to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church which Christ founded, and which she cared for, and continues to care for with a matertial love.

At the conclusion of the Council of Ephesus, when the title Theotokos (Mother of God) was given to Mary, the people rejoiced and cried out, Hagia Maria Theotokos (Holy Mary, Mother of God). We continue to this day to honor her by this exclamation in the Hail Mary. Let us with great love offer profound gratitude to this woman through whom we have received such a great Redeemer.