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SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD/ NEW YEAR C

RECEIVE HOPE, SHARE HOPE

How do we enjoy this year in such a way that our hope will remain and that we can serve the Lord worthily? Here are some suggestions.

First, be a positive force in your environment. Look at how the first reading (Num 6) recalls Moses and Aaron receiving the assurance of God’s blessings. From the hand of God come only good things. From the lips of the Lord issue forth only blessings. From his heart, flows only divine love and mercy.

We live in a world saturated with angry and hateful speech, suspicious and divisive insinuations, crooked and forced reasoning. As Christians let us share our thoughts and ideas, sentiments and feelings, with constructive and healing words. As the prayer of St Francis says: where there is hatred, love; where there is injury, pardon; where there’s despair, true faith. How can we learn to think and speak positively? Read the Word of God this year, spend time in silent prayer, practice gentleness in acting and speaking. Be a positive force!

Second, start to live simple. While there are many suffering and poor around us, the truth is that many of us have excesses in our homes – clothes we don’t actually wear, purchases we never opened and used, food nearing the expiration date, and trinkets. An ancient father of the church said these things no longer belong to you but to the poor.

How do we learn simple living? Have an attitude of sharing and generosity. Learn to control your urge to accumulate and hoard. Live an uncluttered life by having a spacious heart for God and others.

Third, discover the joy of little virtues. Aside from Jesus we can learn from the the gospel characters of this day, Mary and Joseph (Lk 2). They played important, crucial roles in the history of salvation. They are remembered and honored through the ages. But they were also very simple people, who cannot boast of great personal achievements.

Neither Mary and Joseph died a martyr for the faith. They did not evangelize foreign lands. They did not build churches and schools. They only tried to follow God’s leading in their lives through the so-called “little virtues.” They were obedient, faithful, gentle, humble and simple and good neighbor. Not in great accomplishments did they offer themselves to the Lord, but in the little things they could give to the Christ Child. We too, can easily please the Lord through little things we do with love and devotion, wherever we are and whatever our situation.

 A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

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