New Year
1st January
Solemnity of Mary,
Mother of God
I. Reading:
Numbers 6:22-27: They are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I
will bless them.
II. Reading:
Galatians 4:4-7: God sent His Son, born of a woman.
Gospel:
Luke 2:16-21: They found Mary and Joseph and the babe...When the eighth day
came, they gave him the name Jesus.
On this
first day of the New Year, we gather as one family to celebrate the feast and
solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God who is also the mother of the Church and
of all. There are three main reasons to celebrate today:
i. To honour Mary, for
having been chosen to be the Mother of God.
ii. To ask for God’s
blessings throughout the year that starts today.
iii. To pray to God for peace
in the world.
We see
words of blessings in the first reading. God has been blessing us so we need to
bless our children and people in the name of God.
In the
second reading, God has blessed us by giving his own Son Jesus in the appointed
time (kairos=fullness of time/grace-filled time/appointed time) to set free
humankind from the slavery of sins, death and all corruptions. Mary
gave us Jesus and Jesus gave us Mary to be our Mother, as Jesus taught “the Our
Father...” he also taught us “Our Mother.” So let us call and honour Mary our
Heavenly Mother who gave birth to the redeemer.
The Gospel
is proclaiming the Good News of the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem who is the king
of Peace to save the world. The shepherds went in haste to find the newborn
king and prince of peace and returned adoring him, praising him, thanking him,
proclaiming the Good News to others and glorifying God.
What is the
priority in our work? Who is the center of our life today?
This New
Year is God’s precious gift to us who invites us to work for peace throughout
the world in this present violence and conflicts. Let us bear in mind that
peace too is the gift of Jesus to us: “Peace I give you, my own peace I give
you” (Jn 14:27). Only by keeping Christ’s peace in our hearts shall become the
peacemakers in the world. Peace within us and peace around us should be our
program throughout the New Year.
Wishing
you a Happy New Year & God’s Peace & Joy!
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