A Mother's View starts the New Year

The Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church on New Year’s Day presents texts for the celebration of the feast of Mary, Mother of God. The texts contain an ancient Hebrew blessing, the exhortation of the psalmist that all the peoples should praise God, the declaration of Paul to the Galatians that we are children of God and heirs who can speak to the Father as “Abba” and from the Gospel of Luke the message that Mary treasured in her heart all the experiences and revelations surrounding Jesus Nativity. The Roman Catholic tradition sets aside many days as opportunities to approach our better understanding of the intimate relationship we are invited to have with Jesus, through the eyes and life of Mary. We can see so much of the Son through the eyes and reaction of Mary. This approach is rich as it moves toward the great mystery of the Incarnation, Emmanuel and Divine Immanence from a human place which is the view of the Mother. Mary focuses frames and gives a human path to the Divine. It is not about Mary. It is about how Jesus is encountered through His Mother.