Mary, Mother of God (January 1, 2017)

Today the Church celebrates Mary, the Mother of the Word made flesh.

In greeting Mary, the Mother of God, we are reminded that she is also our Mother,

the Mother of all of us who form the Body of Christ.

As we just heard, the shepherds hurried to find Jesus with Mary and Joseph. Mary and the shepherds encourage us to join them in making known the message we have heard this Christmas: Jesus is God’s gift of peace; he shares with us the love of our heavenly Father.

As we begin a new year, our Mother Mary offers us a way to keep alive the peace and love we have been given in Jesus. As Luke told us, Mary kept all the things she experienced in her heart and reflected on them in prayer. She invites us to do the same.

The more we remain aware of the presence of God during the day, the more we will be able to see that all that happens each day is part of God’s loving plan for our holiness and salvation. God is with us, giving us the strength we need for whatever we have to do.

May 2017 be a year in which each of us grows in wisdom and knowledge. Like our Mother Mary, may the gift of God’s loving peace take root in our hearts so that we can bring God’s peace to others.