It's New Year's Day - Why Am I Supposed to Go to Mass?

Besides offering this new year to the Father in union with Jesus (the best start to a year imaginable), today's liturgical feast - Mary, the Mother of God - gives us a whole lot to contemplate! The God Who brought this universe into existence, who ordained the orbit of our planets before a single atom was formed, took flesh inside a young woman in Palestine. She was the most beautiful creature He ever created - although those living around her day-in and day-out didn't see it. "The LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). He did not bring her into being to act as a home for a brief nine months, but to be His Mother - the person to whom He would entrust Himself, whole and entire. She was not simply the person from whom He took the flesh and blood He used to redeem the world.  She nursed and warmed Him with her body. She was His diaper-changer, roommate, nutritionist and chef, educator, sounding board, prayer partner and confidant.  She was His Mother - God has really, truly become a man! Jesus, our God, truly has a Mother - a Mother He formed for Himself!  And not for Himself alone.  As He said to John, our representative there at the foot of the Cross, "Behold, your mother!" (John 19:27).

Mary, Mother of God, our Mother, may the Holy Spirit make you our companion, our most faithful companion, as we set out to journey through this next year. We give ourselves entirely into your arms, as the Incarnate Word Himself did, knowing that we shall find Him there, nestled against your heart. May His Spirit flood our hearts with that same love with which He flooded yours. Amen. 
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Bonus:  Today is also the 8th Day of Christmas, the day we celebrate Jesus circumcision (entry into God's covenant with Israel) and His naming by St. Joseph.

Thank you to "On Call with Wendy Wiese" for this image!

 

The Motherhood of Mary

Today's liturgical feast - what an awesome way to begin each year, each new decade, new century and new millenium. The God Who brought this universe into existence, who ordained the orbit of our planets before a single atom was formed, took flesh inside a girl in Palestine. She was the most beautiful creature He ever created - although those living around her day-in and day-out didn't see it. "The LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). And He had brought her into being not to act as a temporary dwelling, a home for a brief nine months, but to be His Mother - the person to whom He would entrust Himself, whole and entire, when He became man. He made her to be the person from whom He would take His flesh and blood (used to redeem the world), the person who would nurse and warm Him with her body. He made her to be His diaper-changer, roommate, nutritionist and chef, educator, sounding board, prayer partner and confidant - to be His Mother. God has really, truly become a man! How now really, truly has a Mother - a Mother He created for Himself! But for Himself alone? The God-Man from His Cross: "Woman, behold your son! Behold, your mother!" (John 19:26-27).

Mary, Mother of God, our mother, may the Holy Spirit make you our companion, our most faithful companion, as we set out to journey through this next year and next decade. We give ourselves entirely into your arms, as the Incarnate Word Himself did, knowing that we shall find Him there, nestled against your heart. May His Spirit nurse us and mature us there in your arms, until it is time to lift us to our Father. Amen.