Homilies

NEW YEAR'S DAY: SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

We celebrate the New Year as the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and as the World Day of Peace. Thus there are two feasts to celebrate which are both important and significant.

First, let us reflect on the motherhood of Mary. The ttile, Mother of God, must be the highest title accorded to her by the Church. The oldest Biblical testimony to this doctrine of Mary as the Mother of God can be seen from the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians:  “Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Vatican II, in its document Lumen Gentium, says that our Blessed Mother has a unique dignity and role in God’s salvific plan: “The Virgin Mary is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and the Redeemer. Redeemed in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son and united to him by a close and indissoluble tie, she is endowed with the high office and dignity of the Mother of the Son of God, and therefore she is also the beloved daughter of the Father and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Mary as Mother of God was once an object of attack from some heretics. But the Church has been insistent in her explanation that because she bore the Son of God, then it is but right to say that she is also the Mother of God. We cannot separate the humanity and divinity of Jesus, and thus, it is not proper to say that she is only the mother of the human Jesus.

In reflecting Mary as the Mother of God, we must also take her to be our Mother. Since Jesus is our brother, then, it is also right to call her as our mother. By acknowledging her motherhood over us, we can better our relationship with her. Mothers are known to be caring, nurturing, and loving toward her children. In fact, most of us are closer to our own mothers because of their unique traits. Taking Mary as our Mother, it can be easier for us to reach Jesus her Son, because of the closeness of relationship. If she is our intercessor, then there is a good reason for us to get closer to her.

Second, Mary's motherhood can be seen in her being the "theotokos" or God-bearer. She bore the Son of God in her womb. I think we can also reflect on this because, in truth, as missionaries, we are also called God-bearers. Our aim in this life is to proclaim Jesus to the world. As such, we should be "bearers" of Jesus. On ohter words, we must be God-bearers so that others could see and know Jesus our Lord.

Thirdly, let us reflect on Peace because today is also the Word Day of Peace. We all know that peace is very elusive. Despite the peace talks and other activities which are meant to advance peace in the world, we have never experienced the peace which we have desired. When we celebrate this day as day of World Peace, we are called to contribute to the attainment of peace. We need to pray for peace, and we need also to work for peace. Certainly, it should begin in our families and small communities. Yes, peace is elusive. But what we need now is this. When we pray and work for peace, let us always invoke our Lord Jesus because he is the Prince of Peace. If we want our work to be successful, we need to put Jesus at the center of our activities which are meant to attain peace.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

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