Solemnity of Mary Mother of God.

FEAST DAY SERIES.

Mary Mother of God  Feast day series.

SOLEMNITY OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD.

The first day of the New Calendar Year is the feast of the Solemnity Mary Mother of God.  It is good to start the new Year thinking of Mary for 3 reasons:

1. Mary is the mother of God, since she gave birth to Jesus and yet remained a virgin.
2. Mary is our mother too since we are brothers and sisters of Jesus and co-heirs with Him.
3. Mary is the model disciple who as scripture tells us ' treasured and pondered these things in her heart'. Like Joseph, Mary was a doer of the word she heard- she reflected first and then acted. We can learn from her to reflect upon the word God gives us and then, like her say 'yes' and act upon it without knowing all the fine print. Trust in God is the key.

To find out more about this Solemnity, you may wish to check out this link as it provides some history and background to this Solemnity.

It is wonderful to be able to attend Mass on the first day of the calendar year to thank God for the previous year with all its ups and downs and to present to Him our hopes/goals and desires for the new year.  

It is important to let God cast a shadow over the previous year as we put it behind us, and to walk with enthusiasm,  hope  and trust on the year ahead on the path we have yet to trod.  Of course between the old and the new there is a continuity that binds it together- 

Emmanuel- a name which means 'God is with us'.

If you have not worked out your new year resolutions for your spiritual life for 2011- spend sometime today to be like Mary- treasure the progress of the past year (even if it seems minimal) and ponder what you intend to do for 2011.  May Mary our mother point us to her Son Jesus-so that we may 'do whatever He tells us'.