01/01/2007 - MARY, MOTHER of GOD - Year C
First Reading Numbers 6: 22-27 Psalm 66
Second Reading Galatians 4: 4-7 Gospel Luke 2: 16-21
Today, the shepherds of Bethlehem teach us to listen, to obey, to speak and
to share. They listen to the, rather, unusual voices of the angels; they obey
their revelation, with unusual swiftness; they are not afraid to repeat what
they've heard and to tell of what they saw; they find joy in sharing among one
another what they have experienced. The shepherds are simple, poor, uneducated
people, who share none of the world's glory. This is, perhaps, the reason they
were chosen by God to be the first to hear the choirs of angels and to become
faithful to their song. They are the first to give joy to the Mother of God,
by confirming what she already knew, but had not, yet, had acknowledgement for
what had taken place. She had faced suffering and rejection, which could have
proven to be temptation to her faith. He who, like the shepherds, enjoys God's
blessings will become a fountain of joy for many others. The shepherds speak,
joyfully, and Mary listens, in silence. How beautiful Mary's silence is!
"As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart".
She is the Mother of the Baby whom we longed for, whom we welcomed, whose steps
we observe and whose Words we listen to. She is the Mother, only the Mother.
We will never put her in His place: she, herself, wouldn't want that. On the
other hand, if we welcome Him, we welcome her, as well. Who knows how many things
she can tell us, matured within that silence which began with the shepherds'
presence! In her company, she will let us know them well: we will learn to love
Jesus, to observe His steps and listen to His Words with pure, unadulterated,
true love. He will feel loved by us, if we love Him as His Mother loves Him!
Today is the day in which the Son is welcomed by His people, the people of God,
through the pain of circumcision. His Mother, who suffers with Him, will then
become the Mother of all the world. This is another reason for us to love her
and to observe how seriously she takes the words of the angel, who had revealed
to her, about her Son: "He will be holy and will be called the Son of God".
That child who weighs down in her arms, who sucks her milk, and who cries because
of the surgery, is the Son of God! He is the Son of God: I will, therefore,
welcome Him as I welcome God; I will love Him as I love God; I will adore Him
and care for Him, as God deserves, even though He is a Baby. And she is the
Mother of the Son of God. Therefore, she is the Mother of God! She will remain
as humble, as when she sang at the house of Elizabeth, and as she, still now,
remains silent. She is the Mother of God, that God who is the baby in her arms,
the baby who will fulfill the promises made by the prophets. They had called
Him the "prince of peace". How can a baby stabilize peace? The one,
who welcomes Him, will have peace and will become an agent of peace. His peace
is real, because it enters the heart of man, and will come out from his heart
so that it can change and heal all human relationships. Without Him, there is
no peace. The grand promises of peace, made by powerful men, will remain, only,
beautiful words; at least, until they meet with Him, the prince of peace!
Let us do it! Let us welcome Jesus so we can give meaning to man's desire and
to the promises that they, unknowingly, proclaimed on this day, the first day
of the year. Wherever Jesus reigns, every day, there will be a year of grace
and of true peace!
Come, Lord Jesus: even if our hands are, still, too rough and dirty to caress
You, come anyway, because Your Mother's hands are ready to caress You, for us.
Come! And stay!