New Year Vigil Mass. By Tobe Eze

 

1st Reading: Numbers 6:22-27

2nd Reading: Galatians 4:4-7

Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

Theme: Life in the Appointed Time.

When is the appointed time? We know that God’s time is eternal and not just numerical (Kairos and not Chronos). What shall we see and we will know that the appointed time is here? Before we go into answering these questions, let us make this point clear. The church has no liturgical readings for this night but the church knowing the importance of using the highest prayer she has to welcome a new year and a new time permits the vigil mass of a New Year and she uses the readings of the solemnity of Mary Mother of God. Continue Reading...........

Now, the time is here, we are embracing a new chronological year soon. What shall we make this new year to be? The appointed time? For me, a big ‘YES’, I do not know for you. How shall we make the New Year the Appointed Time?

1. By blessing each other. The first reading numerated list of blessings that we should always impact on each other through Aaron the priest. Through our baptism, we all share in the priesthood of Christ; therefore, we are all called to impact blessings. May we always have in mind that the appointed time is a time of blessing and not a time of hurt, in this New Year may we share blessings among ourselves.

2. By recognizing that we have only one loving Father. If we shun every form of discrimination in us bearing in mind that at the appointed time, God sent his Son to make all of us his children, then we shall know that we are really living the life of the appointed time should live it in love. There should not be “Onye ebea or onye ebe ozo” among us. We should live as people adopted by the same Father. No ohu, osu, white, black, tall, short, intelligent, iti, (names of some villages in my town) etc. We are one in Christ.

3. It is true that sometimes we may not fully understand the situations of our lives. You will be trying to impact blessings on people and they would be paying you back with evils. Do not stop, Mary pondered both the ones she understood and the ones she did not understand in her heart. May we do the same. People’s attitudes should not distract us from living this new life of adopted children in an Appointed Time. Funny enough, we are the people that distract ourselves and not people outside here, the same ndi uka. As we enter the New Year, may we enter it with new positive lives and we will enjoy the Appointed Time, the time of God. Thanks, and Happy New Year.