Reflection for January 1, Friday; Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God; Luke 2:16-21

Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

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Reflection:

Today is the first day of the year 2016! We celebrate today the Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God, this is also a holiday of obligation here in the Philippines. Thus we are all required to attend Holy Mass today.

Amidst the joy of the people around her the Blessed Mother just kept silent and she deeply reflected on the miracle that has unfolded before her. Surely, one of the things being reflected by the Blessed Mother was her being chosen as the Mother of God.

 Maybe she was asking herself: “Why was I given this great honor to become the mother of the Messiah?” Perhaps this is also what is in our minds; among the many women during her time why Mary and not other women?

God works in mysterious ways; He does things by His will.

Sometimes this also happens to us, for example in our career pathing. We wonder why we are in a certain arena of life when we did not even consider being in that field, not even in our wildest dreams. God has put us in our vocation or God has put us where we are today for a good reason. Therefore we need to do right and make a big difference in the lives of others.

Upon deep reflections the Blessed Mother realized her enormous responsibilities. Thus she lived and imbibed it with all her heart and she therefore raised Jesus to become a Man for others and not a man only for himself.

We may be in different field of endeavors in the vineyard of the Lord or in other field of life. However like the Blessed Mother we too are called to realize our enormous responsibilities. We are called to live and imbibe this not with arrogance and brashness but with humility and gentleness. – Marino J. Dasmarinas