Theotokos, "God-bearer" or Mother of God is still the most popular title given to Our Lady in the Eastern Christian Churches. It was affirmed in early Church Councils precisely because it confirmed the Christian claim about who Jesus Christ is - and who each one of us is invited to become as we cooperate with grace and live our lives not in the Church which is His Body.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it simply," What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ." (CCC#487) The Catholic Catechism also reminds us,"Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it."(CCC #964)

There is a way, a pattern that all men and women are invited into - not just once, but daily. It reveals the path to authentic peace and is the portal of the mystery of meaning itself. It is what Christian Scripture calls the "more excellent way", the way of love. Mary understood and walked this way with extraordinary humility. (1 Cor. 12:31) She shows us the pattern of love surrendered to Love.

The early Christians painted her image in the catacombs during their moments of fear, persecution and doubt? They found great inspiration from this little woman of great faith. In her "yes" they came to understand that ordinary people can change human history.

They were inspired to add their own "yes", their own "fiat" to hers. Justin Martyr and many other early Christian apologists found in her "fiat", her obedient "yes" to the angel, the undoing of the "no-I will not serve" given by the first woman Eve. They called Mary "The Second Eve", the mother of a new creation.

In her womb Mary carried the One whom Scripture calls the "New Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45). He was born from her as the first born of a new race of men and women who would find a new birth through His life, death and Resurrection. (1 Cor 15.27; 2 Cor 5.17; Col 1.15; ) The Redeemer now resides within, and lives through, all those who respond to the invitation of Love like Mary did.

Mary's choice, her response to the invitation of a God who always respects human freedom, is a singularly extraordinary event in all of human history. However, it is meant to be much more. It is an invitation to each one of us to explore our own personal histories and to write them anew in Him by exercising our own freedom by choosing the more excellent way of love.

Mary shows us the way to surrender to Gods loving invitations in our daily lives; a path, to living a life of surrendered love. When we live that way, Mary's way, Love Incarnate is revealed through each of us so that He can be given to others. We become "God Bearers."

We can become the tent and the ark within which God takes up His residence, comes to dwell, in our own age - which so desperately needs His saving presence. He comes to dwell in all men and women who say "Yes" to Him. "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." (John 14:23) We are invited to bear Jesus for others and invite them, through the waters of Baptism, into new birth in His Body, the Church. 

That is why Catholic Online, along with our sponsors, is pleased to offer "Mary, the Mother of God", a virtual pilgrimage site and repository of reflection, devotion, prayer and beauty. It is a place for all those who want to find Mary, and, in so doing, be drawn more deeply into a saving and transformational relationship with Her Son and Savior Jesus Christ.

After all, that was, is and will always be her mission, to bring the whole world to her Son. You can visit the site here Come back often! This virtual pilgrimage site will grow with regular additions intended to deepen our devotion and encourage our continuing conversion to Jesus Christ.