JANUARY 1ST: SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD (Nm 6:22-27/Ps 67/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21) For many years, I did not take the issue of 1st January or a New Year serious. With my little Geography, I realized that some countries get into the New Year hours before others join in and thought there was no need to celebrate a day as New Year. I appeared to have been convinced further when I discovered that there are various kinds of years and calendars, e.g., Liturgical, Gregorian, Islamic, Jewish, Babylonian, Egyptian, Buddhist, etc. We were not in any uniformity as a world as to what day exactly makes a year new. But here am I so joyful and happy for the gift of a New Year. Yes, I am happy because every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord and Father of all things (cf. James 1:17). Again, one person considers one day more important than the other, whilst another person considers all days as the same...Whoever observes the day, observes it for the Lord (Rom 14:5f). New Year is God’s making for everyday is a great gift we never deserve. Since God is the maker of each day and year, and he has granted us 2015, there is no doubt that the year is good. Truly, 2015 is good because it is a gift from the good Lord. Do not fear on the first day of the year because the will of God never takes us to where his grace cannot reach. As we begin a new year, we are reminded of two basic facts. One: the good Lord uses mediums and persons to bless others. Two: you are a worthy instrument for carrying Divine blessings to others. Let us look at the first fact. In the first reading, Moses becomes the “tool” for Aaron and his sons’ elevation. Aaron’s family receives the Divine mandate through Moses. Then, this chosen family becomes God’s instrument of blessing the whole of Israel. Aaron needed Moses and Israel needed Aaron and Moses. God could have blessed his people directly, but he preferred to bless people through other people. This same principle is seen in the Gospel. The shepherds come to meet the New Born King through the message of angels. Mary and Joseph have, before this time, received God’s message through Gabriel and a dream, respectively. Then, the world receives his Saviour through the mediatory and indispensable role of Mary. That is what God chose to do. We celebrate Mary as Mother of God because Jesus is truly God and truly man. Mary’s role is greatly different from that of Moses, Aaron, dream or angels. She gives the world no less than God in human form. This is why she must be held in high esteem by all believers. Even now, she who gave us Jesus remains the mediatrix of all graces. Jesus has made us sons of God through his birth and redeeming act (second reading). He is now our focus and source of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. To desert Jesus in a year given by God through him is to forfeit the best in the year. It is in him that we can be blessed every moment of this year. He is our way to all that is good and joyful. The second fact worth noting is that God desires to bless the world through us. Jesus is with us always till the end of time. His name is Emmanuel. Yet, he needs our hands, eyes, voices, feet, etc. to reach out to humanity. May we make ourselves available to him all year long so that God will bless the world through us. Have a great and gracious New Year.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 01:00:45 +0000
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