Friday, January 1, 2021 - Saint Mary, Mother of God - Many times in the past God spoke to our fathers through the prophets; at the end, in these days in which we are, He spoke to us through His Son - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2, 16-21

We are starting a new year. Happy, we give thanks to God, we wish each other good wishes and make good resolutions to make our lives better. But we also celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the mother who gave us the Saviour who brings peace.

Luke tells us about the shepherds who saw Mary, Joseph and the newborn lying in the manger, the family that God chose, to whom He entrusted His Son, the Saviour of the world. Joseph, the father chosen by God to take care of his Son; Mary, the mother of the Son of God. God's love, for us humans, is manifest in the way this couple accepted and loved the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom God. Just as a mother loves her child, God loves us. In the same way, in the way we care for others, God's love for each one of us is manifested. St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary set an example for us in caring for the Son of God, through whom the world received peace. We are both peacemakers and beneficiaries. May each one have consideration for the other, to build a new world; this is what the newborn Saviour has brought us.

May our hearts, minds and souls be renewed with the New Year. It is not just a matter of wishing for happiness, but of helping each other and participating actively in building the kingdom of peace.