Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
- As we
begin this New Year, it is appropriate that we should find
ourselves with Mary and Joseph and the shepherds at the
stable in Bethlehem. Jesus, Mary’s child, has been born,
whom we profess to be the Incarnate Son, the Emmanuel,
God-with-us. We are present at the stable, adoring the
Saviour, as children of God into whose hearts the eternal
Father has sent the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit that cries
Abba, Father. We begin the New Year well if we stand from
the first day of the year in wondering contemplation of
Mary’s child who was named Jesus, the Saviour, who is our
hope and the hope of the whole world, and in whom have
become the adopted children of God.
- As we
begin this New Year, it is appropriate too that we are in
the company of Mary, the Mother of God. In her was conceived
through the Holy Spirit the Son of the Most High God. Her
husband, Joseph, shared the wonder of God’s purposes coming
to fulfilment in his family. When Mary’s child Jesus was
born, the angels hailed the news of the birth of a Saviour.
Shepherds and Kings came to worship the newly-born infant.
As for Mary, we are told that she treasured all these things
in her heart. We begin the New Year well if we can have that
same sense of wonder and prayer at the presence of God in
our lives, so that we can be sustained through the coming
year by Christ Jesus whose birth, death and resurrection
fill us with such hope and strength as we face the joys and
sorrows of each new day.
- As we
begin this New Year, it is appropriate also that we should
have all kinds of hopes for ourselves, for our families and
for the world. It is appropriate that we should hope for a
better and more peaceful world, especially for those who are
suffering and who are in need. Spontaneously almost we think
of Palestine where Jesus was born. We think of Iraq where
things cannot surely get any worse and we pray that the
situation will improve greatly in 2007. It is appropriate
that we should hope for happiness and prosperity for
ourselves and for all human beings.
- It is
appropriate finally that as children of God we should seek
God’s blessing for this New Year and that we should place
our lives and our future in his hands. We can be happy if
the blessing of God’s people continues to be ours: “May the
Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine
on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face
to you and bring you peace.” The good news is that in
Jesus, born of Mary, this blessing has been offered to us
lovingly and directly, for in Him alone, we find friendship
with God and man, the forgiveness of our sins, and the
fullness of life. May we all have a blessed and happy New
Year.
St. John’s, Barrhead, 1st January 2007
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