Because New Year’s Day falls on a Monday this year, it is not a holy day of obligation. I think for most, if not all, of us here, we’re not present because we feel some burdensome sense of obligation. Rather, we’re here because we realize that time is the currency of life, and spending time worshipping God together is one of the best uses of our time.
What better way to start a new year than by gathering together for communion with God and with each other? I know there is nowhere else I would rather be this morning than here and nothing else I’d rather be doing than this. This implies that there are no other people I’d rather be with than all of you, God’s people. What a blessing!
I remember attending some sessions that Bishop Niederauer used to have with the youth of our diocese. He always liked to give the young men and women the opportunity to ask him questions. There were a handful of questions that seemed to always get asked.
One of these oft-asked questions went something like “Is it really true that I have to go to Mass every Sunday?” To which, Bishop George would respond by saying, “I like to think about this as I get to go to Mass.” He would continue by explaining that Mass doesn’t take that long and it gives everything else I do that day or that week meaning and purpose. If that’s true of Sunday Mass, how much truer is it of Mass on New Year’s Day?!
In the Nicene Creed we profess that Jesus Christ is “consubstantial with the Father.”1 Because he is also “incarnate of the Virgin Mary,” as Son of Mary, he is also consubstantial with us.2 This is the mystery of Christmas. It is through Christ, by our rebirth through waters of baptism, that we are children of God. This is why, as Saint Paul points out, we can call “Abba, Father!”3
Therefore, we can call the Blessed Virgin Mary “Imma, Mother!” As Abba is Aramaic for “Daddy” or “Papa,” so Imma is Aramaic for Mommy” or “Mama.” Because God is our Father and Mary is our Mother, Jesus is our brother. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit, who is always at work in and through creation.
The “slavery” mentioned in our second reading from which are freed is not slavery to God. We don’t go from being God’s slaves to God’s children. No! We go from being slaves to sin and death to children of God who, through Christ, frees us from sin and death. This is the Good News!
Like a good Mother, Mary is here for us. As the opening of The Beatles’ song, Let It Be, goes:
When I find myself in times of troubleLet's not forget, Paul McCartney is an Irish Catholic kid from Liverpool.
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be4
Never hesitate to seek our Blessed Mother’s help, her comfort, her consolation. Two ways to do this are by saying often the Memorare and by praying the Rosary. The Memorare is a great way to honor your commitment to pray for someone.
Each year on this Solemnity, I challenge everyone present to pray the Rosary, that is, one full set of mysteries (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, Glorious), five decades, each day of this year starting today. You can pray the Rosary meditatively, sitting quietly, or you can pray the Rosary while walking, waiting, etc. I typically pray my daily Rosary while walking.
So, my dear friends, as we embark on a new year,
The LORD bless you and keep you!As for peace, in addition to being the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, today is also World Day of Peace. And so, let us work for peace in the world always mindful that peace begins with me.
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!5
1 Roman Missal. The Order of Mass, sec. 18.↩
2 Ibid.↩
3 Galatians 4:6.↩
4 The Beatles. "Let It Be."↩
5 Numbers 6:24-26.↩
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