Mary Our Road Map (Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, Jan 1)

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It is said that in a certain country (name withheld) there are more prophets than all the prophets in the Bible. On a day like this, many people’s ears are itching to listen to "prophecies" for the Year 2021. Anyone can say anything in the name of prophecy, NO PROBLEM AT ALL! There is freedom of speech. However, I am particularly concerned about people’s reactions to “prophecies”. Let us be cautious of whatever we hear and accept as "prophecies". There are certain utterances that may put you in a perpetual state of fear and deprive you of peace of mind. Don’t dwell on them! What God has said about us is all that I know and care about, not those negative things that some people say that God has said about us. 


Today, we celebrate the Motherhood of Mary. Every true and Bible-believing Christian cannot but honor and respect Mary and hold her in a very high esteem; and that is why we celebrate her today. I think Mary’s life and words should be more PROPHETICALLY IMPORTANT to us than the utterances and predictions of the contemporary “prophets”. What is it about Mary that we celebrate today? 


At some point in the history of the Church, there were gross doctrinal confusions and widespread ignorance about the Christian faith. There was need then to explain to the world what Christianity is all about. And this gave rise to many theological thoughts and movements. However, in their attempt to explain the Christian faith, some people fell into serious errors and began to teach what Christianity is not. One of such persons was a man called Nestorius (a one-time Archbishop or Patriarch of Constantinople) whose error came from the distinction he made between the two natures of Jesus: human and divine. He was of the view that Mary was the mother of the human Jesus, not the mother of the divine Jesus; and that Mary only gave birth to Jesus the man, not to Jesus who is God. In reaction to this, the Church convoked the Council of Ephesus in 431 and condemned the teaching of Nestorius (Nestorianism) as heretical and false. In addition, the Church reemphasized and reestablished that Mary is and will forever be the "Theotokos" (a Greek word meaning the "God-Bearer or Mother of God"). That's why we specially celebrate and honor her today.


St Paul tells us in Galatians 4:4-7 that “When the appointed time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,…, so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters of God.” As adopted sons and daughters of God, we have become co-heirs with Christ. And if Mary is the mother of Christ (who is God), then we too are her children. However, we are not just celebrating Mary because she is the mother of God and our mother too. We are also celebrating her because she has a lot of things to teach us.


As recorded in Luke 2:16-21, after the shepherds had visited Mary and the baby Jesus, the bible tells us that “MARY KEPT ALL THESE THINGS, PONDERING THEM IN HER HEART” (cf. Lk. 2:19). On another occasion after searching for Jesus for three days and having found Him in the temple, the bible again tells us that “MARY KEPT ALL THESE THINGS IN HER HEART” (cf. Lk. 2:51). On these two occasions, Mary reacted to the mysteries of God in the same way: PONDERING THEM IN HER HEART. As these things were happening, she may not have clearly understood everything about Jesus her little baby. But instead of being bothered or worried or battered by what she did or could not understand, she chose to ponder them in her heart.

 

The heart is the centre of love. We love with the heart; and that’s why the symbol of love is the image of heart. Rather than being disturbed about what she could not understand, Mary chose to draw them into her heart and love them as what God has ordained. She was ever ready to commit everything into God’s hands. The future was not very clear to her but she trusted that God’s plans for her, for her boy, are for peace, for their welfare, and not for disaster (cf. Jer. 29:11). Instead of doubting or being pessimistic about the future, she resigned to God’s will; and in her thoughts and actions, she continued to say: “Behold, Lord, I am your handmaid; do with me as it pleases you”. 


Mary was specially blessed by God. She was blessed with a SERENE CONSCIENCE and INNER PEACE because she resigned to God's will. We may have heaven and earth; live in the most beautiful house; ride the most beautiful car; eat the most delicious food; and so on. But if we do not have the gift of inner peace, we are in trouble. People die before their time because they lack peace (the peace that comes from within). If I can have peace (inner peace, the peace that the world cannot offer), what else should I need? This is the special blessing that Mary enjoyed.


As the New Year kicks off, we have made a list of things to achieve and habits to stop. But then, let us not think that things must certainly happen according to plan. We have made our plans, but God has His own plans. According to Isaiah (55:8-9), “God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts”. As the heavens are far away from the earth, so are God’s thoughts/ways far from ours. Thus, we must allow God to take the lead in this New Year. Let His will guide us. In his book "The Divine Comedy", Dante writes that “In God’s will is our peace”. Psalm 119:165 assures us that those who follow God’s will have great peace.


As Aaron blessed the people of Israel, we pray for God’s special blessings especially for the gift of inner peace which comes from keeping His commandments and resignation to His will. No matter what the future holds, we are confident because we know the One who holds the future, and His plans for us are for our good, for our welfare. Even when things do not work out as we plan, we are very sure that God is thinking well of us. The tunnel may be dark and slippery, but we shall certainly find ourselves at the end of the tunnel where we would enjoy abundant light and peace. Through the intercession of Mary the Mother of God and our Mother, may God continue to grant us His blessings and the grace to always align ourselves with His will so that His peace will be abundant for us throughout the year and all the days of our lives, through Christ our Lord, Amen!      


Prayer:

In this New Year and beyond, may God continue to bless you and give you peace as He did for Our Blessed Mother Mary, Amen


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!




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