Daily Reflections

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Scripture:

Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21

Reflection:

Happy New Year!  

We begin this year with the beautiful, timeless blessing Moses shared with Aaron and the Israelites:

The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

This passage is more than retelling a moment during the Exodus journey. This is our blessing, too. We begin the new year assured that God will be watching over us, caring for us and always loving us.

Today we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, the oldest Marian feast day in the calendar. Luke’s Gospel returns to the visit of the shepherds following Jesus’ birth. He writes that Mary “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” This is one of three moments when Luke uses a similar phrase. The other two are when the angel Gabriel told Mary she would have a son, and when Jesus was 12 years old teaching in the temple. As a woman of great faith, she reflected and prayed over these and many other significant events during Jesus’ life.

Mary, like most mothers, would have questions, lots of questions, for her Son. No one else in the Gospels comes close to spending as much time with Jesus. She raised Him, introduced Him to Jewish law and practices, accompanied Him in His travels, witnessed His ministry, remained with Him as He suffered and died. She did not simply observe. She needed to understand Him. Just imagine the conversations between mother and son.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke tells us that Mary returned to Jerusalem with the apostles and disciples following Jesus’ ascension. I believe Mary would have been a spiritual director for the early church community. She would have guided them to a deeper understanding of Jesus’ teachings.

Let us pray that Mary, the Mother of God, will guide us in this new year to a deeper relationship with her Son.

Mike Owens is coordinator of the Passionist Alumni Association and a member of the Migration Commission of Holy Cross Province. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.