Mary, Mother of God
Intro: Today we celebrate Mary's role as Mother of God. She was the one who found the courage and strength to say "yes" in the face of tremendous adversity because she put God first.
Readings: From the author of the Book of Numbers, God promises His blessing on His chosen people.
Writing to the Galatians, Paul tells them that they are now God's adopted children because Jesus has become one of us; they (we) are His adopted brothers and sisters of Mary's Son.
Numbers 6: 22 - 27;
Galatians 4: 4 - 7;
Luke 2: 16 - 21;
In today's Gospel, Mary is a young mother, amazed by the events surrounding her and her newborn son. She needs time to think before it all makes sense to her. The birth of Jesus makes Mary the mother of God; the resurrection makes her the mother of the Church.
We all know the saying, "you can choose your friends, but not your family." Whatever family means to us, whether our blood relatives, people we live or work with, the Church or the human community, how big or small, we are called to bring to our relationships the values and virtues shown to us by Mary and Joseph.
Today isn't just New Year's Day, or the rounding-off of Christmas celebrations. It's the feast of Mary's motherhood. Salvation begins from her as she brings forth to the world the little body which will eventually be stretched on the cross before rising from a tomb.
Jesus needed His mother, especially in the formative years of His life. We too need Mary, and ask her to understand us and make allowances for our own limitations. Today, as we celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we celebrate someone whose very littleness enabled Christ to be born, someone who found the courage and the strength to say "yes" because she put God first.
We ask her to adopt us as her sons and daughters ("woman, behold your Son"). Holy Mary. Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
New Year's Eve can be a hectic day as we are often fully occupied, if not preoccupied! ... parties to get ready for ... dinners to prepare ... last minute shopping ... journeys to make ... all these good and wholesome things conspire to rob us of peace, and prevent us from taking time out to pray.
Hogmanay is a God-given opportunity to reflect on the year just gone, and look forward to the one to come. Christian tradition has always encouraged us to examine our lives by inviting the Holy Spirit to shine His light and His truth into our lives.
The Spirit helps us to see so many things. Yes, we see our sins, and how we fall short. But we also see how to penetrate more deeply into the mysteries of our faith. Let us pray that the beauty of the Gospel message, the victory of the cross and the hope of eternal life may touch our lives and our hearts today and throughout the year.
Intercessions
On this feast of Mary, who is both Mother of God and Mother of the Church, we place our prayers before her Son, confident that she will speak on our behalf-
I. For our Holy Father and his fellow bishops. May Mary support them as they strive to bring the Church throughout the world to an ever-closer union with her Son - Lord, hear us.
2. As we celebrate World Day of Peace and the start of a new year, we pray for our country and our government, May we dedicate ourselves to promoting peace and justice, beginning in our own country and our world - Lord, hear us.
3. We pray for all families. May Mary, herself a mother, hold them in her care, unite them in love, and strengthen them in any difficulties they have to face in the coming year - Lord, hear us.
4. For all mothers. By imitating Mary's love, wisdom and gentle strength in times of loneliness or sorrow, may they bring their families closer to Your Son - Lord, hear us.
5. For our beloved dead: Jean Kelly, Heidi Lindberg, May Sawers, Laira Riley, Jackie Furaylim McFadyen, who have died recently, together with Frank Dais, Agi Bores, Anrnarie Hickey, Thomas Nixon, Veronica Graham, Mary Anne Geary, Daniel McGregor, Janes Clark, whose anniversaries occur about this time. May all those who placed their hopes in You while they lived now receive the reward of their faith - Lord, bear us.
God our Father, we know that You hear the prayers which remain is our hearts. Bring us closer to You and to one another. May Mary. Your mother and ours. help us on our journey.