Gospel Reflection for 1st January – World Day of Peace Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God – ‘Look, I am making all things new’.
In ancient times, the Romans had a god for everything and every occasion. One of their gods was called Janus. Janus was a two-headed or two faced god. One face looked back to the past and the other looked forward to the future. Janus gave his name to our month January. So as we celebrate this New Year’s Day, it also good for us to look back to the past year with gratitude and thankfulness and look forward to the year ahead with hope and faith. As well as marking the start of a new year, we are also celebrating the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God and the World Day of Peace.
Through Mary’s faithful ‘yes’ and the birth of Jesus, God has transformed not only the world, the whole universes, but each of our own personal lives too. As the Book of Revelation reminds us, ‘Look, I am making all things and the whole of creation new.’ (21.5). Filled as we are with this faithful promise from our God, we can face the new unfolding year with faith, hope and confidence. Jesus is Emmanuel, our God who-is-with-us, not only at Christmas, but every day of the year.
While we can feel hopeful and optimistic as this time of the year, there may also be part of us that is anxious or even unsure. We don’t know what this New Year will bring for us and our families. When God asked Mary to be the mother of Jesus, she too felt unsure, worried and even a little disturbed. God spoke these words to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid.’ As we step into this New Year, God speaks the same words of comfort and encouragement to us.
There is the story of the woman who at the start of the New Year felt she could not face it alone. So as she prayed, she said to God, ‘please give me a light so that I can walk into the New Year without fear.’ There was silence. Then God spoke and said ‘no, take my hand and we will walk into to the New Year together.’ Just as God strengthened and encouraged Mary, so too God will support and walk with each of us as we begin our pilgrimage into this New Year. Like Mary, let us put faith in God and put our hand into God’s and start our New Year in faith and with our heads held high.
Let us also prayer for the gift of peace for those parts of our world that are suffering most because of war, violence and random acts of terrorism. We also keep in our prayers our brothers and sisters who are displaced and forced to become exiles, refugees and immigrants because of these acts of war and violence.
- Michael Moore OMI
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