NEW YEAR JANUARY 1, 2024
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4: 4-7
Luke 2: 16-21
MARY OUR MODEL OF GOOD LIFE IN THE NEW YEAR 2024
Double celebrations greet us today. We are rejoicing that the world celebrates a new year. We moved from 2023 to 2024. The past Year 2023 was a very eventful year but filled with so many scary, uncomfortable and life threatening events. But from them all, the Lord has saved and delivered us. Recall that in the year 2023, We witnessed one of the worse election outcome in our history. it even came with its concomitant problems and strangulations, rising cost of living, arising from the insensitivity of the political class.
Our country is still witnessing recession and hunger seems to stare us in the face. We are also dealing with all forms of insecurity, kidnapping, armed robbery, financial and social ills, and social unrest, with corruption that has crippled our economy to the point that the poor cannot feed three square meals a day.
The lists cannot be exhausted but the good news is that God has never abandoned us. He comes as God to save, to rescue, to sustain, to provide and to protect us. We have witnessed his powerful hands in our lives and we are overwhelmed that we have not been run over by these evil. We can breath, we survived, we triumphed the many challenges and we are hopeful that the year 2024 will see all these problems fizzle out with time and normalcy gradually returning as God takes over our life and our world as our Lord and master he is.
Coming into the new year 2024, we recline ourselves into God’s hands and we keep asking God to bless us, to guide us, to rule us, to protect us and to grant us a peaceful, progressive and holy year 2024.
The second feast that the Church asks us to celebrate today is the feast of Mary under the title “Mother of God.” This is the most important title that Mary had and flows from her work, mission, and nature as bringing Christ into the world. The Greek calls her Theotokus, mother of God.
God honoured Mary to bear the Christ, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, the saviour of the world, the Word that took flesh, the one with the Grace and Light. Mary bore Jesus in her womb, God dwelt in Mary day and night for nine months and brought Jesus eventually into the world as an infant Child. Then, Mary nursed him, carried him as a child in his hands, gave him earthly food, fed him, cleansed him, and took care of him.
By all these, Mary became the Mother of Jesus who is God, the Saviour of the World, the Lord of all times. So Mary is declared the Mother of God by bringing Jesus to the world, caring for Jesus, nursing Jesus and presenting Jesus to the world to heal our world.
This title of Mother of God was given to her not by any man but by the declaration of the angels who told her that she will conceive in her womb, Jesus the Saviour of the world. And the child Jesus to be born will be the mighty God, everlasting Father and prince of peace. And later as Mary Visited Elizabeth her cousin, Elizabeth also declared to Mary the same title, and asked, Why is it that the Mother of my Lord should visit me? For immediately I heard the sound of your greetings, the child leapt in my womb.”
Mary biologically gave birth to the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. In acknowledging this, no one will be left in doubt why and how the title mother of God will be attributed to Mary. It is only natural to say so, for Mary brought to the world Jesus Christ who she bore for nine months before giving birth to him.
As Mother of God, Mary exhibited exemplary virtues and charism that remarkably singled her out to assume such great title and office.
– She was filled with grace.
– She loved humanity and
– she was prepared to work for the salvation of the world.
Even Simeon and Anna reminded her and told her of the coming scourges, which she willingly accepted and internalized.
So in Mary as Mother of God, we see love in action;
– readiness to do the will of God,
– prompt to respond to the call of God,
– a life of purity and self sacrifice and
– above all readiness to hold on to God and propagate goodness and love.
Such virtues earned her so much renown and divine favours. Favours that brings peace, happiness, progress and divine fulfillment in this life. Mary’s life is an attestation of the fact that people who walk in the ways of God and follow the designs of God are never confounded. There are like the beauty of the valley, the rose of Sharon, the light in darkness, the joy of saints and the glory of heaven.
We are called to be like Mary to bring Jesus to our lives, to our families, to our society and to our world. We are bearers of Christ. That is where Mary became the greatest model we must follow, imitate, adhere to and gain in our lives.
Again, Mary’s life was full of grace, she is declared the most blessed of all women. We must also strive to be full of grace, live in grace and carry grace in our lives. We are called therefore to live holy, blameless, and life of purity.
Though difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible for God. Because God gives you the blessing today through Aaron and his sons, the priests as I bless you from the throne of God’s glory.
“May the LORD bless you and keep you:
May the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. “
May Mary, mother of God interceed for you and your family throughout this year. May you conquer and be victorious in all through Christ our Lord. Happy New Year.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
