Today, as we stand on the threshold of a new year, we also celebrate a profound mystery of our faith: the Feast of the Mother of God.
On this day, the Church honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is also our spiritual mother. Our Gospel reading from Luke 2:16-21 invites us into a moment of deep reflection, echoing the actions of Mary herself.
In the Gospel, we read about the shepherds who, upon hearing the angels' announcement, hurried to Bethlehem to see the newborn Jesus.
There, they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. What happens next is profoundly significant. The Gospel tells us, "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."
As we step into the new year, many of us make resolutions. Often, these resolutions are about doing more or achieving more.
Yet, how often do we resolve to be more? More reflective, more thoughtful, more grateful?
Mary's example in the Gospel today offers us a different kind of resolution, one that invites us to a deeper relationship with Christ.
What if, this year, we resolve to be more like Mary in our daily lives? To take time, as she did, to reflect on the presence of Christ in our world and in our lives?
This does not require grand gestures or monumental changes. Instead, it invites us to pause, to be still, and to recognize the countless ways Christ enters our lives, often in the most unexpected ways.
Being reflective like Mary means cultivating a heart that is open and attentive. It means noticing the small graces, the everyday miracles, and the quiet moments where God speaks to us. It is in these moments that we, like Mary, can ponder and treasure the workings of God in our lives.
As we celebrate the Mother of God, let us ask for her intercession to help us become more reflective and grateful. May she guide us to a deeper appreciation of the mystery of the Incarnation, where God became man and dwelt among us. May she help us to see, with the eyes of faith, the many ways Christ continues to enter our lives.
So, as we embark on this new year, let us make a resolution that truly matters. Let us resolve to be like Mary, reflective and grateful, opening our hearts to the wonders of God's love.
In doing so, we not only honor Mary, but we draw closer to her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of all our blessings.
Amen.