Mary, Mother of God 1st January ’Mary, however, kept all these events and meditated them in her heart.’ Nb.6,22-27 Ps.66 Ga.4,4-7 Lk.2,16-21 ’They made haste to get there, and found Mary and Joseph there with the new-born babe lying in the cradle. After having seen this, they told the story about what had been announced to them about the child." These shepherds are enlightened by the angels, and enter into God’s Mystery. In a cradle they discover a child, just as it had been announced to them, and in this they are confirmed in the Word of God. What might this word ’Saviour’ mean for the shepherds? They notice how this child fills them with joy within themselves. They were poor people, badly considered by other people, living on the outskirts of the community, on the periphery far away from others! They find themselves to before a reality which comes from God and they are quite astounded by this. Heaven began to sing for this tiny little child, the shepherds contemplate him alongside Mary and Joseph! And this child looks at them with tenderness, with a love that is like nothing else that exists. And upon Mary’s face they can see this reflection of Divine Love. This reflection shines upon Joseph’s face who is looking at Mary. This reflection of Divine Love shines forth upon their own faces, it is a moment of unique intensity, Heaven came upon earth. The shepherds’ whole life will be transformed by Jesus. When we see Mary and Joseph contemplate, we feel called to enter into the contemplation of Jesus. On this day the Saviour is given to us in the Eucharist, in the Bread of Life. We need to meditate these events with Mary our Mother, for they are for us, too. “And all those who heard what the shepherds told them were all astonished. Mary, however, kept all these things in her heart, meditating upon them.” Mary welcomes all these events and accepts to carry them in her heart until the day she enters into the Father’s Glory with Jesus. The mystery of Love, which has been living in God for ever, has been revealed to humanity. The Father ’engenders’ his Son from all eternity. The Father and the Son are a spiral of Love given by the Holy Spirit. This mystery of Gods Infinite Love is ’brought about’, takes on a body in humanity. Mary’s child hasn’t been welcomes in Bethlehem and Mary suffers greatly from this fact. It is with Jesus that we are to come to an understanding f God’s Ways and keep on seeking God. Mary keeps the firm conviction that her Child is the Source of Light and Love for this world. This is the revelation of an Unbelievable Mystery: the All-Powerful God reveals his mystery of Love! The Only Son of the Father is engendered eternally in human flesh! ’You are my Son, today I have engendered you.’ Mary ’weaves’ in the Holy Spirit who is united to her, this ’unheard of masterpiece’ which is the body of Christ, Jesus, come into human flesh. Henceforth our human nature is united to Divine Nature. In Jesus’ mystery we ’participate’ in God’s Mystery, in his Life, in His Love. “The shepherds went off; they glorified and praised God for everything they had heard and seen, according to what had been announced to them. When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child received the Name of Jesus, the Name given to him by the Angel before his conception.” In prayer we are able to join Mary:“All-powerful God, by the virginal maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you have offered to the human race the treasures of eternal salvation.” The Holy Spirit is given to us so that we pray to the Father: ’Abba, darling Daddy’. Our wish is to be ready for anything, with open hands, so as to live in Mary’s maternity. This is how the living ’May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord shine upon your face and lean down to you." When the Incarnate Word is made flesh within her, Mary becomes the Mother of God, the Mother of a new humanity. With Mary we are bearers of God’s Mystery who challenges us to have hope. It is by announcing this Mystery that Jesus forms the Church which takes on ’body’ within ourselves. We ask Mary the Mother of God, to shine God’s Joy down upon us.
Mother of God 1st January
"When the shepherds came to Bethlehem they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished.’
The shepherds’ life will be transformed by Jesus the Saviour of the world when they receive the announcement from Heaven! They found a newly born infant in a manger, and discovering him, as it had been announced to them, they see the confirmation of the Word of God. What could the word ’Saviour’ mean for the shepherds? They were poor people, marginalised from their community and viewed badly by others. These shepherds, illuminated by the angels, enter into the mystery of the Glory of God. But now they are before a divine reality that is even more astonishing : Heaven has begun to sing of this tiny little one, and they contemplate him with Mary and Joseph! This Child looks at them with tenderness, a unique Love. They can see the reflection of this Love on Mary’s face. This reflection of Divine Love is now reflected on their own face. A moment of unique intensity; Heaven has come to earth. Mary’s contemplation has us enter into the contemplation of Jesus. The shepherds see the Saviour, they notice him in this child; they are joined by Him and are filled with Joy. Today the Saviour gives himself to us in the Eucharist, in the Bread of Life. With Mary, we need to meditate on these events which for us are questions that don’t have any response. It is fundamentally a gesture of faith, which presuppose that this world is comprehensible and that we can a find meaning to it.
"And everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherd said to them.As for Mary, she treasured all these things and treasured them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all the had heard and seen, just as they had been told.
There is great tension in Mary between the present suffering with her child not being welcomed in Bethlehem, and the questions without any reply for the future. She is this person of faith, keeping up her strong convictions that her child is the source of this world and that he is its Light and its Love. It is with Him that we now have to continue our path and go on seeking God at all times, He who has looked upon his humble servant.
The mystery of Love that has been in God for Eternity, is today revealed to humanity. The Father ’engenders ’the Son from all eternity ; the Father and the Son in a spiral of Love give the Holy Sprit. This mystery of the Love of God is going to ’come about“’, take on a body, in our humanity. ’Brothers, when time was accomplished, God sent his only Son, born of a woman’ says the Apostle. Incredible mystery, the all-powerful God reveals his mystery to Mary! The Only Son engendered eternally is engendered in human flesh! ’You are my Son, today I have engendered you!’ In the Holy Spirit united to her, Mary ’weaves’ this ’Unheard of Masterpiece’ in her own flesh : He is Christ’s Body. Jesus come in the Holy Spirit. From now on, our human nature is joined with the Divine Nature. In the mystery of Jesus ,we can ’participate’ in God’s Mystery, in His Life, in His Love.”When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus; the name the angel had given before the conception“”As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Much of Mary’s questions are without response :
-When Jesus makes the decision to leave her to go and join John the Baptist:
-When Jesu takes his distance from her, staying in Jerusalem at the Temple;
-Jesus’ arrest and condemnation following the atrocious death usually undergone by slaves and murderers.
Mary is this woman who welcomes all the events of her life, accepting to carry them until the day she will find the answer.
We want to live in Mary’s maternity ,with outstretched hands, so as to be ready for everything. it is today in prayer that we join her :
"All-powerful God, through the virginal maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you offered to human kind the treasures of Eternal Salvation. We pray that the Holy Spirit be given to us like to Mary for us to pray to the Father : ’Abba! Darling Daddy!’
This is done so that the Blessing of the Living God comes upon us: ’May the Lord keep you and bless us. May the Lord shine upon you his face, may He look upon you.’
When the Word of God is made Incarnate in her, she becomes the Mother a whole new humanity. With Mary, we are bearers of this mystery from God
which challenges us to hope. In announcing this Mystery to us, Jesus takes ’body ’in us, he forms the Church.