1st January 2024 – no one needs to be told its New Year’s Day; the whole world knows it. More importantly, many do not know that it is the Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God. This feast comes one week after Christmas. We are looking at Mary who gave birth to Jesus at Christmas. Sometimes we tend to forget the woman who suffered through child-birth; who shed tears to bear the Child Jesus into this world.
During the Christmas week, as we look at the Nativity scene, we see the sublime, the beautiful and the gorgeous. But there is a more real side that is not captured in our Cribs. It is of Mary living in a filthy stable among creatures and beasts. Imagine the disgusting stench of the place. We can’t walk by the droppings of one cow, without distancing ourselves. Mary stayed in the manger with the newborn child – she had nothing else; She needed nothing else. The only one she had, is the one she needed in order to be happy i.e. GOD, her SON! It takes a great deal of Trust to abandon oneself to God’s Providence in such circumstances.
As Catholics, we can very easily take for granted this title of Mary- Mother of God. It is easy to not fully appreciate its significance. In the first 400 years of the Church, this was a controversial topic, because how could Mary, a human being, be called the Mother of God. God is not created. He is without beginning, Almighty, All Powerful, whereas Mary is a human being. She could be called the Mother of Christ, because Christ received His human nature from her. But we call Mary the Mother of God. The Church, at the Council of Ephesus, in her Wisdom, explained that the Divine Nature of Christ and the Human Nature that He received from Mary are both inseparable from His Person. Mary did not give birth to a Nature; she gave birth to Humanity; She gives birth to an individual who is Human. So Mary can rightly be called the MOTHER OF GOD. This is what makes her special – what sets her apart from everybody else. Mary has a relation to God that no one else has, namely she is the Mother of God. Her greatest possession is GOD her Son. She needs nothing else.
What do we learn from Mary?
1) Her FIAT- total obedience to God; “Let it be done according to Your Word”.
2) Her MAGNIFICAT – it means “I magnify, glorify, give thanks & praise to God”.
3) Mary treasured everything in her heart. She gave time to be silent.
Mary is a perfect example for us to imitate. Do you know why Mother Mary is beautiful? Because She was obedient. Love is obedient and Love makes one beautiful.
In this NEW YEAR, friends let us take Mary as our Model and ask her to help us to do God’s Will in our life, in every occasion; to give God Glory and Praise in all circumstances, and to give time for silence and prayer daily. We all search for Peace and Happiness. The closest to that is her Son, Our Lord Jesus – the Way, the Truth and the Life. Give your whole heart to Jesus, so that Jesus alone may be your Only Possession. As the Psalmist says, in Ps 73(72): 25 “I have no one in heaven but you; on earth I desire nothing but you.”
The New Year awakens us to want to make some Resolution. A Resolution should make you feel good about yourself – give you a sense of goodness and holiness. Try any ONE of the following:-
- Compliment at least one person a day.
- Make a call to an elder – just to listen and console.
- Use time and thoughts in the right way.
- Look for Jesus in others.
- Spend at least 15 minutes a day with Jesus.
- Do not repeat what you hear or what you hear or what you are told, to friend or to foe.
Create your own simple resolutions that do not cause guilt or strain, but give you a sense of progress. As you begin the New Year this way, with Jesus and Mary, you will have Peace in your Heart.
May our Lord bless you and keep you; may He make His Face shine upon you; may He look kindly upon you and give you His Peace.
May our Mother Mary – Mother of God – cover you with her mantle and keep you & your family safe always.
J. Rodrigues