Homily for the Week of January 1, 2012

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, New Year’s Day 2012
Nm 6:22-27 · Gal 4:4-7 · Lk 2:16-21


The Bible readings given to us for this day in honor of Mary the Mother of Jesus and New Year’s Day are relatively brief. The first text, from the Book of Numbers, is a blessing of God's people which seems appropriate for the first day of a new year. The gospel, from Luke, tells of the shepherds spreading the message of the news of the Lord's birth and contains that beautiful verse, "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." The middle text, from Galatians, includes a verse so appropriate for this time of the year and the day's feast, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law." Also, 45 years ago when our country was at war in Viet Nam Pope Paul VI asked that New Year’s Day be designated as the World Day of Prayer for Peace.


Today is also 7 days after the birth of Jesus. According to Jewish law parents had to bring their child to the synagogue 7 days after birth in order to give the child a name. This is the day when the baby Jesus was officially given his name Jesus by his mother and father. The angel had already told Mary that his name would be Jesus. Jesus is his name in English. In Hebrew his name would have been Joshua which means one who saves. Over the centuries God had promised us a saviour who would save us from the original sins of Adam and Eve. Jesus, the saviour, finally was born.


Giving a name to a child is the most considerate gift that parents give their newborn child. While we might be identified with a nickname, it is very rare that a person will change the name given to them by their parents at birth and at Baptism. Our name sets us apart from everyone else. It identifies us. We respond to it. We spell and write it thousand of times during our lifetime. One way by which we hurt persons is to disrespect them by using their name sarcastically. In some way a person’s name reveals that person’s true identity.


The name Jesus or Jesus Christ is often used in everything from idle conversation, to bumper stickers and jewelry, to enforcing false teachings, to justifying wars and political agendas. Like the name God it is often used as a profanity or in as a curse. The name Joshua however, has remained pure and holy. While it is rarely used, it is used only by those who would praise the name of Jesus and His teachings. Likewise we too should use the name of Jesus for only spiritual matters and sincere prayer.


Every teacher supervising a playground knows that calling out a child’s name is an effective way of getting attention or correcting a problem. People can be hurt if we forget their names. Forgetting a person’s name can be received as a sign that the person doesn’t matter. Catholics have the custom of bowing whenever the name of Jesus is spoken.


Our first reading today is from the Book of Numbers in which we are given a blessing that relates to a name. In the blessing we are told to put the name of God on what we own. This is much like writing our name on items in order to identify them as being our possessions. This is exactly what God is saying, that we are His. We are not possessions in the sense of things; we have been made members of God’s family. It is in this sense that God’s name is put on us.


As Jesus started to grow up we can imagine Him blessing his mother many times. We can also imagine Mary blessing Jesus many times. As our first reading stated: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace.


Mary would be the first to remind us that is only through her son Jesus that we can enter heaven after we die. As a Jewish woman Mary also had great trust and faith in God the Father. And God is our father, because Jesus is our brother, because Mary said yes to being his mother -- and is also our mother as well. God cared enough to send his very best in Jesus. But God needed a human mother to cooperate in this plan of salvation. But we must see Mary as a real human being who was frightened when the angel told her she could be the Mother of Jesus, who was upset when she lost Jesus among the people who had come to the temple, and who cried when her beloved son was nailed to a cross like a common criminal.


On this New Year's Day, we are given an opportunity to begin this new year by asking the questions and seeking our answers. Human beings, like all living creatures, learn through imitation. It is no surprise, then, that as we seek to grow spiritually and be a better person, we look to others: parents, godparents, sponsors, and others who, by example, show us how to follow Jesus. The church gives us role models, the saints, who have faithfully followed Jesus by living lives of holiness. Among all of the Church’s saints, the greatest example is Mary.


New Year's is also a time of making ''New Year's Resolutions.'' A resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. So many times we keep our resolutions only as long as it takes the time to say them. Or we make a list of them, but forget where we put the list. We may make too many of them. I invite each of you to make just two spiritual resolution: each day of this new year spend at least 5 minutes in prayer, and always use the name of God or Jesus with respect. And may your new year be a happy one.