Mary, the Gift of God's Love.

January 1, 2010
Mary, Mother of God

With one stroke of a second hand, we began a new year, a new day, a new decade, early this morning. Perhaps you saw it.

As a Church, of course, we recognize this new year, we have new calendars for you all today, we wish you a blessed year, and in the readings today we hear words of blessing. But we recogize too that we celebrate this day, in the context of Christmas, which reminds us that there is something far greater, far new-er, than a new year or decade which we celebrate.

Indeed, there is Jesus, Baby Jesus who is still new, still a new born, just one week old this day, still in need of love, still inviting us to be with him, to be like him, to be Love.

Now, if we are to accept this invitation, if we are to love Jesus, it takes both grace and guts. It takes grace and decision. Following Jesus is not like a New Year's Resolution that we make and break. It is a relationship...and if we want this relationship to be real, if we want it to grow and flourish, we need Mary.

Mary is the first one to follow Jesus. She is the one who spent the most time with him, who knows him best. She taught him how to walk, eat, grow and love. And she can teach us the same thing....so that Jesus may truly grow within us, and we may grow in Him.

And so, as we begin this New Year, we do so realizing that just as there is nothing about the passing of time, there is nothing magic about our faith. It comes down to love...it comes down to choosing to love the one who is now with us, Jesus.

On this first day of the year, let us do just that with Mary. Let us get to know Mary, who will help us to love and grow in love with Jesus. In this way, our relationship with Jesus will in fact grow and flourish throuhgout the year. Let us praise God for Mary!