01/01/2010 - MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
World Day of Peace
1st Reading Nm 6,22-27 Ps 66 2nd Reading Gal 4,4-7 Gospel Lk 2,16-21
"When the fullness of time came", says st. Paul. The time to which the
apostle refers, is not about time or day, but the fulfillment of the mysteries of
God for all humanity. The time is that awaited by the Patriarchs and announced by
the Prophets, desired by all the just who dreamed of justice and faithfulness of
the people. This is the time in which the plans of God for man in need of salvation
are fulfilled with the coming and the presence of the Son of God, of Jesus. He came
as a normal man, born of a woman, as a Jew, from a people that obeys the Law given
by Moses. He came not to offer himself for himself, because he did'nt need to be
purified, but to purify and save us: in this way, we who are sinners, were made
known as children of God. We might have taken it for granted that we are called
children of God, that we risk to loose the value of this reality. If we had to belong
to another religion, this expression would have surprised us, scandalized us, or
made us happy; would have put us in a new relationship with God, and therefore,
with others. We are not to doubt that we are children of God, tells us st. Paul,
because from within ourselves comes spontaneously the cry of "Abba, Father"!
We don't feel we are slaves of God, but loved by him and hence his children. This
change could happen thanks to the fact that the Son of God became man.
Today we continue to celebrate this mystery of the will of the Father looking at
the "woman" who gave us the Son of God. The Gospel presents her in her
simplicity and humility, telling us the story of her meeting with the shepherds.
These they find her next to Joseph and near the manger in which the babe was sleeping,
and they surprise her in the silence that was reigning. Her silence meant a prolonged
listening of that voice speaking to her heart, a silent voice, that calls for greater
attention more than any other voice. The shepherds themselves did not succeed to
distract her, on the contrary, their story made her listen more, she who was poor
jet rich in her call of life.
Mary is the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. We call her Mother of God because she
received the Son from God, who is the fullness of the Godhead. Its useless to say
that the divinity of our God is the fullness of love, and therefore the mother shares
in this fullness. We, Christians, enjoy this mother who loves, who knows only to
love like her God and her Son. On this day in which we call Mary "Mother of
God", is chosen to be the world day of peace. Mary is its patron because the
Son was to be called "prince of peace" and pass on all the richness of
God to all those who accept him. Queen of peace is one of the titles we give her,
knowing that peace, much desired by everyone, can be reached and can endure only
where Jesus is welcomed: where there is Jesus, love enters freely, that love which
is free from egoism which is at the basis of all wars and quarrels.
Enjoying the love of the Mother, and presenting her the desire of peace of the world,
we begin a new year: may it be enlightened by rays of holiness, like those of Mary
who enlightened the shepherds in Bethlem.
That the days of this year shine with the blessing proclaimed for the first time
by Aron on the people of God. Let's keep our eyes on Mary to receive from her arms
the child who was born, and be aware that the meaning of our life is to give Jesus
to our brothers and sisters, to those whom we love and to all with whom we meet.
Jesus, the Emmanuel, be with you every day!