Fresh Dew Media

 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1): Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: The Best Way to Begin a New Year

Readings: Num 6:22–27; Gal 4:4–7; Lk 2:16–21

Dearest brothers and sisters, today is a very important and special day in the life of each one of us. It is the beginning of a new year—a day of new beginnings. Even more, it is the beginning of a new month. Truly, it is a day that invites us to look back on the past year and thank God for the grace of entering another one.

Many people began last year, but not all of them crossed over into this New Year. Since the grace of God has brought us safely into a new year, let us thank Him for all His love, blessings, protection, mercy, and favour throughout the past year, and for allowing us to see another.

But what is the best way to begin a new year? The Church, in her wisdom, shows us the best way. It is to begin with the blessings of God. Dear friends, without God’s blessings, we can do nothing. Having seen how essential His blessings were for the Israelites in the desert, God, in today’s first reading, instructed Moses to tell Aaron to bless the house of Israel in His name. He said, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them, ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace.’ So they shall put my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.” It is the blessing of God that will guide and lead us in this New Year. Indeed, we need these blessings.

Therefore, dear friends, from the altar of the Eucharistic sacrifice, through the ministry of the priests, God sends His blessings of love, peace, healing, favour, prosperity, grace, safety in travels, protection, and many more graces into your lives and into your families today. These blessings are essential for us to withstand the storms of the New Year. We need them in order to succeed in our plans. Last year, many storms threatened our lives—especially the storm of economic hardship—but the blessings, grace, and protection of God kept us going.

The Church also invites us to rely on the grace and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary this year. Today is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The Church dedicates the first day of the New Year to this woman whose intercession sustains us in difficult moments. In Mary, we have a mother who loves us and cares for our needs. She stands before her Son, interceding for us every day. This is why the Church dedicates the first of January—the beginning of the New Year—to her. Let us embrace her; let us entrust our plans and projects for the year to her protection and guidance. Let us call upon her through the rosary every day of this year.

Dear friends, every New Year is a call to a new beginning, a new life, and a new vision. The Church invites us today to make new resolutions: to abandon old ways of sin and embrace a renewed life. Today gives us the opportunity to reflect on how we lived last year, to resolve to change whatever was not good, and to step into this New Year with new life and new intentions. This resolution is important because of the blessings God is giving us today. If we want to enjoy the beautiful blessings of God in this New Year, we must receive them with renewed hearts. In Mark 2:22, Christ tells us that new wine cannot be put into old wineskins; otherwise, both the wine and the wineskins will be lost. In the same way, if we carry the new blessings of this year into an old life of sin, they will not bear fruit. So let us say no to the old life of envy, anger, pride, arrogance, greed, wickedness, immorality, and other vices. Let us instead say yes to love, peace, holiness, harmony, tolerance, unity, forgiveness, and many other virtues. In this way, the blessings of the New Year will not be lost but will bear abundant fruit in us.

Happy New Year.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima