BLESSED BY THE WORD OF GOD

 “SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”

Daily Spiritual Reflections

1st January 2022

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SATURDAY, SOLEMNITY OF HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD 

Nm 6: 22-27; Ps 67: 2-3,5-6,8; Gal 4: 4-7; Lk 2: 16-21 

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BLESSED BY THE WORD OF GOD

A week ago we celebrated the "feast of the Nativity of Jesus", Jesus' birthday. Today on the last day of the Octave, we celebrate the "feast of the one who gave birth to him", his Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mother, Mary, the wife of Joseph of Nazareth of the House of David. The Church celebrates the solemnity of 'Holy Mary, Mother of God'. The title 'Theotokos' (Greek) was used in the early Syriac Church from the 3rd Century, and the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD officially decreed this title 'Theotokos', to Mary, meaning 'Mother of God' or 'God-bearer'. This title was declared in opposition to those who denied this designation to Mary, who was earlier called Christotokos (the one who gives birth to Christ). This Council further emphasized that Jesus is one person who is both God and man, divine and human at the same time. 

The prayers in the Missal today, especially the Opening Prayer (Collect) and the Prayer after Communion tell us why as her children, we accord such importance to Mary on this day. She deserves our honour and gratitude for having given the saviour to the world. On the other hand, we, her children are pilgrims on this earth, always needing divine grace and assistance. Her prayers are a motherly gift to us, and her response to God is always an inspiration for us. 

We have a very good habit of asking the blessing of the elders before embarking upon something important. Children ask for the blessing of their parents; youngsters before going for an interview go to their elders, priests for blessings. People seek blessings not only from their parents and elders; they also go to holy places seeking divine intervention and protection. We Christians are most fortunate among all. For we need not go in search of the blessings, for our God himself seeks to bless us! 

In the first reading, we see Yahweh’s command to Moses, regarding the way Aaron and his sons should bless Israel. The wordings of it are really beautiful. The triple blessing runs this way: "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace!" In the second reading and the Gospel, we find the ultimate blessing God bestows upon humanity by sending his only Son into the world, and through him making everyone his sons and daughters! God blesses us, making us his children, asking us to call him 'Abba Father.' What a privilege to begin the New Year with the Lord showering blessings upon us! 

In the Gospel, the Word of God is no longer a sound produced by the mouth. It is above all an event. In Hebrew, the expression 'dabar' may mean both word and event, generated by the word. The word of God is a creative force. Mary treasured this 'word' and pondered it in her heart". While the shepherds after hearing the words of the angel go to verify the signs given by the angel, Mary carefully keeps all these events in her mind and meditates on them in her heart. To meditate on things in one‟s heart means to ruminate them and throw light on them in the light of the Word of God to understand better their full significance for life. Mary was the first to be blessed by God, with the gift of his Word, his Son. Her whole life later was spent in the light of the Lord. The Mother of God is the first of the blessed, and it is she who bears the blessing; she is the woman who received Jesus into herself and brought him forth for the whole human family. In the words of the liturgy: “without losing the glory of virginity, (she) brought forth into the world the eternal light, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Preface I of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Mary was the silent Virgin who listened constantly to the eternal Word, who lived in her. 

As we on this morning, this solemn day, this New Year’s Day perhaps think about how we might live this year differently than the last, let us seek the help of Mary. As we thank God for this New Year 2022, standing on the precipice of another new beginning, let us resolve to be attentive to the Word of God, Jesus. Let us surrender our life, our plans and our struggles to him, so that like Mary, we might ponder on him and thus receive blessing and direction in our lives.

Response: O God, be gracious and bless us.

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