Mary, the Mother of God

Gospel: Luke 2: 16-21

Pondering Them in Her Heart

16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

21 And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.

With all our attention focused on the New Year, the farewell to the "bad" pandemic old year, the lamenting over curtailed Christmas and New Year's celebrations, today's Solemnity, Mary, Mother of the Lord, can easily take a back seat.  Our Gospel reading,, however, keeps us focused on the Motherhood of Mary and invites us to ponder in our hearts, as she did, the meaning and implications attached to the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. God, becomes a little child, one who would grow up, preach, heal, die and rise from the dead in a gigantic effort to show how much he loves us. "Who are we that he has loved us so well?" What can we do to return even a small portion of that love in return?  It might seem cheap and paltry in comparison, but anything we can do to improve relations with one another, to forgive, start over, reach out to those who suffer or are unhappy might be a place to begin to make this a truly Happy New Year. "Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen"

Bro. Rene