New Year’s Day & World Day of Peace
Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4: 4-7; Luke 2:16-21
Today we begin the year by celebrating the solemnity of the Most Holy Mother of God and also World Day of Peace. These two events are celebrated together because they are closely connected. There cannot be world peace if we are a disparate humanity. To help us recognize that we share a common humanity and calling, the celebration of the solemnity of the mother of God, reminds us that we are partakers of Christ’s sonship.
The readings invite us to re-collect the blessings of the past, look back over the past year. We look at what has happened to us, all we have done and what others have done to us. This jubilee year, we are called to purify our memory, to purify all the illusions and self-deceptions we have about our own past. St. John Paul ll wrote “Examination of conscience is one of the most decisive moments of life. It places each individual before the truth of his /her own life. Thus, we discover the distance which separates our deeds from the ideal which we had set for ourselves.” It is important to be truthful about our past, but also important to let the past be the past.
To purify our memory is to face the truth about ourselves and about our past. Purification of memory is to release the baggage of memories of what others have done to us. It is to set ourselves free. It is unburdened ourselves not only of self-deception but also of resentment of what others have done to us.
Today we are called to trust. The gospel tells us how Mary treasured all that was happening to her and pondered that in her heart and trusted God. Sometimes we do not fully understand the reasons, why all that happened to us happens to us but we need to trust the Lord. Just as we do every time we go to sleep. Mary teaches us how to listen. She is a mother who listens. She listens at each stage of her life. Mary listened at the crisis of the loss in the Temple, she listened faithfully at the foot of the cross. Give thanks today for mothers who strive to bring up their children in love. Like Mary we are invited to treasure and ponder every day what God does in our lives.
Today we join Pope Francis to offer our heartfelt good wishes of peace to all those who feel downtrodden, burdened by their past mistakes, oppressed by the judgment of others and incapable of perceiving even a glimmer of hope for their own lives. May they have peace and hope born of the heart of Jesus our saviour. The Lord commanded Moses to bless the people saying:
“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.” If we know our identity, we will come to know the face of God.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL BROTHERS!
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director