Today is the Octave of Christmas, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, and a holy day of obligation. Mary is often referred to as the “Mother of God” or “God-bearer” and the earliest recorded use of this was by Origen, one of the Fathers of the Church who used the Greek word “Theotokos” in the year 230. It is generally believed Christians first celebrated the feast sometime in the 6th Century. The Byzantine, Coptic, and Roman calendars all assigned the feast to different days, and it wasn’t until 1974 that St. Pope Paul VI assigned it to January 1st.
CHALLENGE
Since today is a holy day of obligation, your first challenge is to go to Mass. Your second challenge is this: St. Pope Paul VI said that on this feast we should renew our adoration to the newborn Prince of Peace, by asking for the intercession of Mary, the Queen of Peace, in observance of a World Day of Peace. Pray the Rosary today and ask for a renewed sense of adoration of Christ the King.
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