DAILY- HOMILY

January 1, 2018 - MONDAY MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD

(Octave of Christmas)

Solemnity.  White. Holy Day of Obligation

Nm 6: 22 - 27 / Gal 4: 4 - 7 / Lk 2: 16 - 21

[New Year's Day]

The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, celebrates the mystery of Mary being the Mother of Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431, her divine motherhood is the reason for her Immaculate Conception and Assumption into heaven.

1ST READING:   NM 6: 22- 27

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them: 'This is how you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say: May Yahweh bless you and keep you! May Yahweh let his face shine on you and be gracious to you! May Yahweh look kindly on you and give you his peace!' In that way shall they put my name on the people of Israel and I will bless them."

FROM THE 2ND READING:            GAL 4: 4- 6

But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son. He came born of a woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we may be given our full rights of sons and daughters of God. And because you are sons, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son which cries out: "Abba! That is, Father."

GOSPEL READING:           LK 2: 16 -21

So they came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph, with the baby lying in the manger. On seeing this they related what they had been told about the Child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds. As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them.

The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.

On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed: he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

REFLECTION

January first used to be celebrated as the Octave Day of Christmas and the

Circumcision and Naming of Jesus. The celebration has been changed to the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God., the principal and most important title and role of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "Mother of God" is the literal translation of Mater Dei in Latin and Theotokos in Greek, the "Bearer of God," which was defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431.

The Gospel reading still celebrates the circumcision and naming of Jesus in accordance with Jewish law and custom: truly God, he was also truly man and subjected himself to all the usual conventions and practices of man, except that he was sinless. Made man through Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the redeemer of the world.

Celebrating Jesus and Mary at the beginning of each year, we are reminded to dedicate the whole year to the Lord, realizing that each one of us in our own and specific way is tasked to be a "bearer of God." We are tasked to bring Christ to everyone and to everything in our lives, to our families, friends and work associates, to those who have lost their longing for God, to those who have been alienated from God -that each one of them may find and recognize God's presence in the world.

Through this celebration the Church challenges and encourages us to pray for the Lord's Holy Spirit to enable us to be earnest bearers of goodness, hope and love, bearers of Christ to one another. May Mary, Mother of God and our blessed Mother, who pondered all these mysteries in her heart, inspire and guide us today and throughout the coming year.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY 

     Amy Aguilar Cheang

     Edrea Choa, 

     Belen (Bebs) Abuei-Sim 

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     Rolly & Cora Cabral 

THANKSGIVING 

     Castillo Family

     Glennwood Commercial, Inc. & Egghead System & Network, Inc.

PRAYER INTENTION 

     Family of Olivia T. Ng

     Sy Family

     Wong-Chuking Family Safe Travels

IN MEMORIAM {+}

     Dr. Generosa Oreta-Dizon

     Dr. Augusto Santos-Ocampo

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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