Word to the Wise
Tuesday, January 1, 2019 - Jan. 1: The Octave Day of Christmas: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God - ABC
[Num 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; 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. [Luke]
The rich tapestry of Marian devotion and theology in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions took a long time to develop. The title, "Mother of God," was a matter of dispute in the church until the Council of Ephesus settled it in 431 A.D.. Indeed, the title of today's feast is a post-Vatican II decision. The title used to be the Feast of the Circumcision, commemorating the official rite that made Jesus a Jewish male and giving him the name "Jesus." The change shifted the focus to discipleship. Mary and the shepherds in the scene from today's gospel scripture are shown to be those who hear the word of God and announce it as "good news." That seems to me to be the material of a good New Year's resolution: to listen to the Word of God and announce it to the world.
Now I know that seems a bit too abstract and noble, but it is up to us as individuals and as a church to decide how we are going to "put skin on" the best way to do this. For some it may mean public activity such as lobbying secular authorities to change public policies that degrade human dignity - a dignity that Jesus assumed! For others, it may mean quiet personal kindness on an everyday basis that can make another person's life much easier and worth living. For still others, it may mean challenging our church to be a better collective witness by eliminating abuses of power and opening the opportunities of ministry to a broader participation by all the baptized. I am not offering a complete list here. It all begins with hearing the Word of God and then deciding how it will shape our lives. That seems to me to be a very good New Year's resolution that is worth keeping all year round. Happy New Year! AMEN