Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Today we observe the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God which brings about the conclusion of the Octave of Christmas.
In our Gospel we were told that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” This is a great contrast to what we were told only a few days ago in the gospel for Christmas at night, “there was no room for them in the inn.”
With such a statement we are able to look inward upon those many ways in which we have failed to allow Christ to enter into the inn of our heart and dwell with us. In this world it so easy to allow something else to grab our attention thus pulling us away from Christ who ushers peace into our life.
We must be like Mary who remained firm in her love for her Son. During this season of Christmas we see how much unfolded concerning her due the importance of her Son as Word made Flesh. As we come to honor Mary as the Mother of God we proclaim that her Son is indeed God the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity.
Mary did not allow herself to grow distracted by all that was taking place around her. Instead she took these things to her heart and through pondering them came to put the picture together concerning her Son and her role in all of this. It was He who was revealed to her by the angel Gabriel to be the “Son of the Most High.” Her sight was elevated to this truth.
We too must come to ponder Him in our heart. It is so easy to move about our life without making time for the silence of prayer. It is so easy to enter into the world and forget that we are Christian and are called to live as such. It is so easy to lose sight of the importance of what is proclaimed through this season of Christmas.
Come to foster devotion to Mary for devotion to her never takes away from her Son, but leads us into closer relationship with Him. She did not know what lied ahead for her as we do not know. As was said of her in the Gospel of Saint Luke, “And you yourself a sword will pierce.” Despite this unsettling prophecy and the trials of the cross which lied ahead she continued to ponder her Son and dwell with Him. So too, no matter what lies ahead for us, let us come to place our trust in Christ the Prince of Peace.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and the hour of our death. Amen.
