1.1.2004 Mary, Most Holy Mother of God
First Reading: Numbers 6, 22-27 Psalm 66
Second Reading: Galatians 4, 4-7 Gospel Reading: Luke 2, 16-21
Mary bears the Son of God in her womb and in her arms. She lives for him, she
serves him with the love of a mother, she is his mother! In the brief passage
of today's Gospel she is mentioned three times, a clear sign that we cannot
forget her or let her pass unnoticed. Jesus is, of course, the centre, he is
the Lord, he is the saviour of the world! But he was hidden in Mary, he took
nourishment from her, he rested in her arms, he was loved by her and grew thanks
to her love. The Mother of Jesus prepared for him an environment of poverty,
of simplicity, of faith, of prayer, of listening to the Word. He is our God,
one with the Father, so we need not hesitate to call Mary "Mother of God"!
Christians exulted when they heard this title conferred on her by the Council
Fathers at Ephesus who in proclaiming Mary, the Mother of God, confirmed the
certainty that the Son of God is God and that Jesus can be found within man
revealing the beauty of the divinity, the wealth of divine love and the perfection
of God's mercy.
We too, can take pleasure in giving Mary this title. We know that it is not
she who asks for it, that she remains a humble servant, but that God rewards
those who serve Jesus with love!
Today we can watch her as she holds her child in her arms while he is consigned
to his people through the incision in his flesh, which is the sign of Israel's
alliance. We watch her as she quietly "kept all these things pondering
upon them in her heart". All that she sees she meditates upon. She confronts
the simple facts that she watches happening around her, things that generate
amazement, with the words of God, with the words of the Holy Scriptures and
with the words of the angel. We look to her to learn, so that in meditation
our inner life may grow, ripen and bear the fruit of obedience to the Father.
Attention to what happens and to the Word of God makes us sure and firm, because
we realize that we are loved.
We too are the children of God, St Paul assures us. Hence we can also consider
ourselves Mary's children! We are children of God , because His Spirit lives
in us! We are children of God, because we are united with the son with whom
we form a single body. Since Jesus said to his mother from the cross, "behold
your son", we call Mary our mother and we confide in her maternal love.
If her love was so great to love the Son of God, then there is surely a place
for me and for you!
Let us invoke the light of God upon the new year as in the blessing of Aaron in the first reading. What is more, let us invoke this light upon us all so that we can be seen and see all as the Father sees, so that we can see everyone and everything with that love with which He sees.
He will refresh us with His peace. The true peace is Jesus, who shows us that God loves man, and that they are also worthy of our love, of our care and communion. True peace is communion and participation in that same love of the Father, participation together in the offering of Jesus, participation in the grace and the joy of the Spirit!
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace!