MOTHER OF GOD in OUR NEW YEAR

The Beautiful Pilgrim (Jasna Gora)

Madonna of the Night

Jesus Christ is Born

Just as Christmas honors Jesus as the "Prince of Peace," the SOLEMNITY of MARY MOTHER of GOD (January 1) honors Mary as the "Queen of Peace".

On this feast we are not only honoring Mary, who was chosen among all women throughout history to bear God, but we are also honoring our Lord, who is fully God and fully human.

Mary is the "perfect woman",  hand-picked and created by God to be His mother. She knows the fullness of God's love and passes this beautiful blessing onto to us. She is not only God's mother, but our mother as well. She is the gentle, concerned mother who watches over us day and night, and cares for our every need. Every pain, every worry, every joy we feel she wants us to share it all with her. The love that God manifests toward her, she shares abundantly with us. The Holy Spirit dwells within her heart, and she is the channel of love, grace, and tender mercy for us.

Today I present a wonderful Polish artist to illustrate Mary in the many mysteries of her life with her Son, from His birth to His death.

Madonna of the City of Birds

Madonna on a Deer

“Polish Madonnas in Art and Poetry,” was an exhibit  in 2005 by the renowned Polish artist Wislawa Kwiatkowska. I love her work for the colors, her use of many birds in her paintings, and her sense of the wonder and joy of the Madonna.

The fifty paintings are more than isolated samples of Polish art and poetry. Wislawa Kwiatkowska’s art is a tribute to the Polish genius, marvelously gifted to bring into one the things of this world and the views of God and his saints. (Fr. Stefan Ceglowski, Director of the Diocesan Museum of Plock)

We also knew about the marvelous love story between the Polish people and the Bogarodzica, the Polish “Mother of God.” It was Bl. John Paul II, the Pope of the “Totus tuus,” who gave us an inkling of this enduring relationship of mutual affection.



 This pietà reflects on tragic Polish history when, during the occupation of Poland by the Nazis, many people starved; most wondered where they would find a bit of food to sustain them for another day. The artist shows that all around Mary, the birds find nourishment in the thistle seeds, while she finds nothing to feed her Son. The Polish people know that Mary understands their pain, for her life, like theirs, was full of suffering. (Fr. Stefan Ceglowski)

Surrounded by the flowers of the linden tree, the Holy Mother, with tears in her eyes, rocks her Son.  She has no place to lay her Child to sleep. Golden birds draw near to soothe the Babe with their song and the moon offers itself as a cradle. 

The royalty of Mary and the Child is emphasized by the use of rich blues and purples in this night scene. Mary wears a tall crown and holds her doll-like Son for all to see. The Child spreads His hands, blessing all of nature. Even the most beautiful birds, the proud peacocks, humbly fold their fine tail feathers in the presence of the Madonna and her Son.