Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, New Year and World Day of Peace. Year B. By Tobe Eze

1st Reading: Numbers 6:22-27

2nd Reading: Galatians 4:4-7

Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

Theme: Example of Mary; Sure, Road to New Blessings and Peace.

The first reading of today is a wonderful reading we would always long to have, filled with blessings from God. These blessings came to fulfilment in Christ who was born of a woman as recorded by the second reading. This woman is Mary and she did not born Christ without her own cooperation and personal efforts. These her efforts shall be our examples. Continue Reading..........

Widely in the Catholic Church, many answer names related to Mary, many churches, institutions are named with one title of Mary or the other. Probably she was not the only Mary in her time but she has overshadowed every other Mary, why? Because she is the only Mary that is Mother of God and it is the solemnity that we are celebrating. Mary is actually the Mother of Christ who is God. The veneration is not only because she is the Mother of God but because she is also our Mother. When she gave birth to Christ, she gave birth to new human race.

Every sincere mother would always like her children to imitate her good characters and live them out. It will always be the joy of every parent. Since we have accepted that she is our Mother, we should then imitate Mary in many ways as written in the gospel of today and other places in the gospels.

1. Mary though could not find a wonderful place for her delivery; she made absolute use of the things available and took care of the young child Jesus. We should not always wait to have the whole world before we be good to people around us, the little we have can go a long way to solve our problems but we do not value them, we look on what we do not have and may not even have. Any little thing we have should be for the good of all around us especially those entrusted to us.

2. When threat came on the life of the child Jesus, the love for her child made her not to consider the pain of a woman who delivered newly, she ran away with Joseph for the safety of the child. When life threatening situations come, how do we tackle them? Do we save those we ought to save or do we leave them to their fates?

3. Even when Jesus offended in our human understanding by not returning with them after the Passover in Jerusalem, she did not leave him. Many have lost their dear ones spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, socially, physically etc. May we go in search of all we have lost no matter the nature of the lost.

4. She meditated or pondered difficult situations in her heart. Some of us do not think before acting or talking. Mary is showing us example now to learn how to think before any action or word.

Why Presenting Mary to us on a New Year Day?

It is a wonderful plan of God for us to look at Mary and direct our actions this year and every year following her example.

1. If we like Mary make proper use of our situations, God will bless us with the New Year blessings in the first reading and give us peace as we celebrate today.

2. We may not have done well in saving and serving people previous year, we are now presented with Mary for us to know that it is always best to save life no matter what it will take us than to destroy it or allow it to destroy.

3. Even when we have checked that our wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relations children, friends have offended us, that we have lost them. We should not be tired of searching for them, with God, certainly we shall win them back. Some behaviours are unbearable, do not give up, you will find that good you are looking for. Please the worst than will happen is if we are the ones behaving in this way, it does not fit our calling as Christians. Some marriages are in shambles, look unto Mary and this year will be better for us. There will be peace again. Do not claim right, accept defeat and peace will return. In every marriage, there must be a mumu for things to work out.

4. Ajughi aju rie n’ ebute ariaghi aria nwuo. Let us not be quick in judgment or conclusion. The easiest jump many of us know how to play is jumping into conclusion. Mary pondered in her heart and she had peace of mind.

Since we also have World Day of Peace today, we need to know that if we start from this first day of the year to be ambassadors of peace and maintain it, our world will change. When we imitate Mary, certainly the gift of peace will be ours and this year will be a year to be remembered.

May God bless You! Amen 

May God keep You! Amen 

May his face shine on You! Amen 

It is always a difficult situation but we should also bear in mind “God is always with us but often we are not with him because we are driven most of the time by an instinct to perform and produce”. Mary was not so. Thanks, and Happy New Year.