Reflection for January 1, 2025 (C)

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
The Octave Day of Christmas

​Numbers 6:22-27 | Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 | Galatians 4:4-7 | Luke 2:16-21

Every New Year’s Eve, we dive into the age-old ritual of making resolutions, as if this time they won’t collapse faster than our last attempt at dieting. We start off as reflective philosophers, vowing grand changes like hitting the gym daily or saving money, only for reality to set in by mid-January—pizza menus replacing gym plans and savings morphing into shopping sprees. Yet we keep doing it, drawn by the allure of a fresh start and the fantasy of reinvention, even as life and its temptations quickly derail us. This year, let us turn to our Blessed Mother, the Theotokos, for guidance in fulfilling not just personal goals but also our shared hopes, navigating 2025 with her as our model of obedience to God’s will.

Here’s a funny little tale about two wives, Joanna and Jacquelyn, doing their laundry at the Laundromat while mending their husbands' pants. Joanna sighed, “My husband is so miserable. Work’s a disaster, social media’s a downer, and home feels like a war zone. Even church isn’t safe—he hates the songs and leaves more annoyed than enlightened.” Jacquelyn smiled and replied, “My husband’s the opposite! He can’t wait for church, loves the sermons, and we’re always laughing and enjoying family time.” As the room fell silent, the women got back to sewing. Joanna was patching the seat of her husband’s pants, while Jacquelyn was busy patching the knees. Guess which husband spends more time praying?

As we welcome the New Year, let’s pray with open hearts, asking God to guide us and bless our plans. In Numbers 6:22-27, God gives Moses a special blessing for His people, saying: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Mary, as a faithful Jewish girl, probably heard this prayer many times. God wants to share His blessings with us, helping us grow in health, friendships, and faith. When we rely only on our own strength to keep resolutions, we often fail. This passage reminds us that true transformation begins with God. By anchoring our goals in prayer and trusting His providence, our efforts align with His will, making success more meaningful and lasting. As we step into 2025, let this blessing inspire us not only to set resolutions but to entrust them to God, asking Him to bless and guide us in every aspect of our lives. With His light and peace, our aspirations can lead to deeper growth and fulfillment.

Jesus was enjoying a peaceful morning stroll through the heavenly garden when He accidentally bumped into some unpleasant people who clearly didn’t belong there. Frustrated, He headed straight to the pearly gates to talk to Saint Peter. The hardworking gatekeeper sheepishly said, "Lord, whenever I see people who don’t deserve to be here, I send them away, telling them to go to purgatory or hell. But then they sneak around to the back door, knock quietly, and Your mother hides them under her mantle and lets them in!"

The phrase "in the fullness of time" refers to a sacred moment in history when God entered the world in a way that was both unique and unprecedented. In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul explains that God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem us from the law and to grant us adoption as His children. As a result, we are no longer slaves but heirs of God. As adopted children, we are called to live not by our own power but through the strength of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This adoption entitles us to share in the inheritance that the Son, by His obedience, has received—an eternal place in the Father’s house. As we enter the New Year, let us remember that through Jesus, God has already provided everything we need. Jesus came to release us from the burden of the law, urging us to place our trust in God's grace rather than in superstitions or rituals for blessings. Consider the New Year traditions, such as lighting firecrackers to drive away evil spirits, rearranging furniture for luck, jumping at midnight to gain height, or collecting round fruits for prosperity. While these may be culturally meaningful or fun, they often reflect the misguided belief that we can control the future through our actions. Paul reminds us that through Jesus, we no longer need such practices. Instead, we are God's children and heirs to His promises, granted through faith and His love. As our Brother, Jesus reveals God’s love and allows us to call God "Father." By becoming our brother, He also gave us His mother to guide us. With Jesus, we need no superstitions—His grace is sufficient.

Ubasuteyama, or "the place where you leave your mother," was an old Japanese practice where families would carry elderly or sick members to the mountain to die, believing it would ease the burden on the household. It was a harsh tradition rooted in survival, where the elderly could no longer contribute to the family. One day, Katashi carried his mother, Kaiya, up the mountain. As they walked, he noticed her dropping white pebbles along the way and asked why. She answered, “So you won’t get lost when you come back home, my son.”

A mother’s heart is like a big, deep well, always thinking about what’s best for her kids. In today’s reading, we learn about the eighth day when Jesus was going to be named and circumcised. It was a special day, and the line "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" shows how much Mary thought about everything happening around her. While everyone else was amazed, Mary took a moment to really think about what all of this meant. She didn’t just watch what was happening; she tried to understand God’s plan for her Son and for the world. Following God’s plan in our lives can be hard, but we don’t have to do it by ourselves. We have the love and strength of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to help us, and we also have Mary, our caring spiritual mom, who is always there to guide us. She patiently waits for us to let her into our hearts, offering us peace and taking our needs to her Son, who always listens and helps. If we spend time thinking about these things this year, our lives will change for the better. Let’s start 2025 by learning from Mary’s example. Let’s grow through prayer, trust that Jesus’ grace is enough, and believe that Mary always wants what’s best for us. She is the way to her Son, and we can trust her with our faith, our wishes, and the needs of ourselves, our families, and the whole world.

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