The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, invite us to embrace the blessings of the New Year with the heart of Mary as the Spirit guides us through accepting the changes ahead.
The reading from the Book of Numbers is the Priestly Benediction of Aaron.
* [6:26] Peace: the Hebrew word Shalom includes the idea of happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and general well-being. To use this term as a greeting was to pray for all these things upon the one greeted. (Numbers, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
In Psalm 67 the Nations are called to Praise God.
* [Psalm 67] A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.
* [67:2] May God be gracious to us: the people’s petition echoes the blessing pronounced upon them by the priests, cf. Nm 6:22–27. (Psalms, PSALM 67 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from Galatians proclaims our heritage as God’s Free Children in Christ.
* [4:1–7] What Paul has argued in Gal 3:26–29 is now elaborated in terms of the Christian as the heir (Gal 4:1, 7; cf. Gal 3:18, 29) freed from control by others. Again, as in Gal 3:2–5, the proof that Christians are children of God is the gift of the Spirit of Christ relating them intimately to God. (Galatians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke , Jesus Is Named.
* [2:21] Just as John before him had been incorporated into the people of Israel through his circumcision, so too this child (see note on Lk 1:57–66). (Luke, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)
Mary Lee Brock comments that, in 2022, Pope Francis offered this New Year reflection:
“I ask, brothers and sisters, how do we make this passage, how do we surmount this clash between the ideal and the real? By doing exactly what Mary did: by keeping and by pondering. First, Mary “keeps”, that is she holds on to what happens; she does not forget or reject it. She keeps in her heart everything that she saw and heard. The beautiful things, like those spoken to her by the angel and the shepherds, but also the troubling things: the danger of being found pregnant before marriage and now, the lowly stable where she has had to give birth. That is what Mary does. She does not pick and choose; she keeps. She accepts life as it comes, without trying to camouflage or embellish it; she keeps those things in her heart.” (Brock & Francis, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “By Christ's faith, hope, and love we are purified,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"He therefore received in the flesh the circumcision decreed by the law, although he appeared in the flesh absolutely without any blemish of pollution. He who came in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) - not in sinful flesh - did not turn away from the remedy by which sinful flesh was ordinarily made clean. Similarly, not because of necessity but for the sake of example, he also submitted to the water of baptism, by which he wanted the people of the new law of grace to be washed from the stain of sins...
"The reason 'the child who was born to us, the son who was given to us ' (Isaiah 9:6), received the name Jesus (that is, 'Savior') does not need explanation in order to be understood by us, but we need eager and vigilant zeal so that we too may be saved by sharing in his name. Indeed, we read how the angel interprets the name of Jesus: 'He will save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1:21). And without a doubt we believe and hope that the one who saves us from sins is not failing to save us also from the corruptions which happen because of sins, and from death itself, as the psalmist testifies when he says, 'Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases' (Psalm 103:3). Indeed, with the pardoning of all of our iniquities, all our diseases will be completely healed when, with the appearance of the glory of the resurrection, our last enemy, death, will be destroyed... We read that circumcision was done with knives made of rock (Joshua 5:2), and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). And by Christ's faith, hope and love the hearts of the good are purified not only in baptism but furthermore in every devout action. This daily circumcision of ours (that is, the continual cleansing of our heart) does not cease from always celebrating the sacrament of the eighth day. (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.11) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:16-22 suggests that
Like Mary, we can reflect on
how God has surprised us in the past year.
any questions or prayers that we are asking the Lord to answer in the coming year.
Like the shepherds, we can share with others
a grace that we saw in life in the past year.
words from Scripture or the Mass that have special meaning.
Mary, Mother of God, brought forth Jesus into the world. Now you, too, have the opportunity to bring him forth as you turn your heart to him and share his goodness with those around you.
“Lord, I surrender this year to you. I trust you to lead me in wonder and joy to your perfect plans for me.” (Meditation on Luke 2:16-22, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler is inspired by Numbers to comment on the peace of shalom and love of chesed. Galatians presents Jesus' inheritance as a Jew through Mother Mary and our status as children who call God, “Abba”. Friar Jude notes the difficulties for Mary as Jesus is received by the outcast and anawim while receiving the name “Yahweh saves”.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, in this New Year’s homily from 2020, preached on the biblical call to change.
St. John Henry Newman (1801–1890) said, “Here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” [2] That’s a very different philosophy than most of us have. Our natural approach is to keep in cruise control. The way we do it is the way we do it, and any change is considered dangerous, heretical, and new. But here in this Gospel we were given a program of change and growth from the beginning. If we don’t grow, if we don’t change, we end up the same at 70 as we were at 17. We all know people like that, and we may even be one of them. Such people aren’t very fun to live with. They want to pick and win fights. It’s what a lot of politics is today. The important thing is not the truth or what’s good for the whole, but what’s good for the small part of which I’m a part.
If people refuse to change, what my mother used to call “bull-headedness,” the world will only get worse. We have to learn how to dialogue, how to forgive, and how to trust, and how to give people the benefit of the doubt. In the United States, our country has become very cynical about truth and love. We hear politicians take oaths to be fair and just leaders and we all know it doesn’t mean anything. We expect everybody to be for the truth of their group and their “kingdoms.” But Jesus tells us to change our minds and accept the kingdom of God, which is what’s good for the whole. (Rohr, 2024)
We are blessed to enter a New Year where change will be necessary and inspired by the Holy Spirit to embrace more deeply the truth, beauty, and love that we will share with others.
References
Brock, M. L., & Francis, P. (2024, January 1). U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/010124.html
Galatians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/galatians/4?4
Luke, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2?16
Meditation on Luke 2:16-22. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/01/864953/
Numbers, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/6?22
Psalms, PSALM 67 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/67?2
Rohr, R. (2024, January 1). To Live Is to Change — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/to-live-is-to-change/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 1, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan1
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