MARY MOTHER OF GOD
Let us as we begin this Eucharist that is, THANKSGIVING, by bringing to our mind the many things we would like to thank the Good Lord that we received in 2021.
To prepare ourselves to enter into another year let us ask the Lord to forgive our sins.
Today we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.
Mary:
– She is the one FULL OF GRACE. God choose her from the very beginning to be special and so filled her through the power of the Holy Spirit all the graces needed to be the Mother of Jesus.
– A unique privilege of Mary that no human being can ever have:
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o The only one to be present from the Incarnation to Ascension.
o God who created the Universe, could chose the Mother for his Son.
o Ever Virgin before, during and after birth. “Immaculate Conception and Ever Virgin.
– However we to can be assured of these graces as Mary did from God; as St Paul tells us in the reading; the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, help us to cry out, ABBA, Father.
o We too have become sons and daughters and heir to the kingdom of God.
o Through our very Baptism, we have received all graces needed to live a life like Mary.
o Like Mary we too are chosen to belong to the Kingdom God as sons and daughter.
– Let us keep her as our model.
Mother:
– When we look at the animal world, we dare not touch the newly born. If one does we could be harmed.
– In Mary, as a mother, she is one who is so welcoming, open, and graceful and wanting to give to others what she received. A true Mother’s heart.
– She gave of her son to Elizabeth. Now to the lowly shepherds who were nobody in society. She received them and offered Jesus to them. They in turn went away happy, joyful and started telling others about Jesus.
– She is not selfish but self-giving.
– Let us keep Mary as our Mother too. She will always take us to her son Jesus.
– To help us to be self-giving to others.
Mary Mother of God:
– She had a unique task of taking care of the Divine child Jesus. Jesus who is Divine and in His Divinity was also human.
– She was a good and caring mother of God:
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o She accepted the Word of God
o She treasured the Word of God
o She nurtured the Word of God.
– She was the best model and example to Jesus too: One who listens and does the will of God is my Mother.
– We find Jesus also loving his mother: after returning from the temple the gospel tells us that Jesus was Obedient and grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man.
– Let us ask Mary, to bring out the divine in each one of us. The closer we are to her the more we will grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and Man.
– Let us like Mary, treasure the WORD OF GOD, Scripture and ponder and put it in action.
Let our new year message on the solemnity of today; Mary, The Holy Mother of God be:
– To be truly sons and daughters and be open to receive the graces God gave Mary.
– To be open to others, caring, loving and giving of ourselves as Mary does being our Mother
– To always receive JESUS in our Lives, through the sacraments, so as to live as sons and daughters of God our Father.
Finally it is all about JESUS, the One who will help us to walk the coming year 2022 with the graces needed. Let the Name of JESUS always be on our lips as that is the name given to him; yesterday, today and forever.
My wish to each one of you is to TAKE MARY as our model and inspiration for the New Year so that she makes us people of full of grace, self-giving, and to be sons and daughters of God our Father.
God bless!
Fr. Franco Pereira, S.D.B.