Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 1, 2022
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” is the most striking sentence for me from today’s gospel because I feel the weight of these words differently as a new mother.
My heart is filled with love and joy as I witness my daughter discover the world, gaining new skills daily. I have so much hope for her and the world she will inherit. It feels fresh and full of promise, a feeling we all share at the start of a new year. However, there is also a tinge of sadness with each outfit or toy she outgrows. It is a visceral reminder of the passage of time.
I wonder if Mary felt a similar tension caring for Jesus—this combination of joy and sorrow. She had been told the child she had brought into the world would be the Savior, her Savior. She not only understood that he would be bringing salvation to the world but also understood the warning about the sacrifice it would require from her.
Mary’s reflective heart can guide us in our lives and this new year. In addition to any changes or resolutions we plan to make, we can seek to emulate Our Lady’s virtues of humility, faith, and trust in God, particularly when asked to make personal sacrifices.
As we begin this new year, let us follow the example of Our Lady and make time to reflect upon God’s word. May we allow it to take root in our hearts and let it influence our actions, sharing the gospel and helping those in need.
Prayer
Gracious God, you have given us the mother of your Son to be our mother and protector. With the support of her prayers may we grow in holiness and experience the rewards of everlasting life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Today’s feast, which honors Mary as the Mother of God—the one who bears Christ to the world—has been on the Church calendar since the seventh century. Given the role Mary plays in the narratives of the birth of Christ, it is appropriate that the Church honors her in the days after Christmas, and this feast falls within the octave that extends the feast of Christmas through eight days. As it says in the Catechism:
"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense, the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the 'Seat of Wisdom.'"
— CCC 721
The chapel in Malloy Hall, which houses theology and philosophy programs and faculty, is named after Mary, Seat of Wisdom. A bas-relief of Mary with Jesus, pictured above, is placed on the exterior wall of that chapel. Today's featured image of the statue of Mary and Jesus stands in the Log Chapel.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in this new year!
To learn even more about Mary, watch this video lecture from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.