Happy New Year! On this first day of the Year of Our Lord 2022, we acclaim Mary as Mother of God and ask her to mind us and those we love during this new year. We pray that the world may be freed from COVID-19 through a global programme of vaccination.
[Background: The Virgin Mary was already venerated as Mother of God when, in 431, the Council of Ephesus acclaimed her Theotokos (God-bearer). Her role in the mystery of the incarnation was celebrated on this day in Rome in the seventh century but was soon eclipsed by other feasts of Mary. Restored to the liturgical calendar in 1931, and to this day in 1969, the feast celebrates from a Marian perspective the Word made flesh, and so enriches the observance of the octave of Christmas and provides a solemn beginning to the New Year.]
Today, we pause from our lenten penances to honour Patrick, our national apostle. In our celebration of this solemn feast, we worship God, creator, redeemer and sanctifier, who brought our ancestors into the Christian fold through the preaching of St Patrick.
[In this year’s Mass we remember especially the irish diaspora, those exiled abroad, and especially those members of our families who would love to be at home with us today.]
The places we try to get away from are where the seeds of new life will be found, for God can always bring light out of darkness….
We need to let ourselves be met by our risen Lord, as Mary Magdalene was. She has something to teach us about seeking the Lord even in our grief.
This year millions of us are locked in our homes. We are not going out to work, not going out to play, going nowhere to socialise. It is a bit like a big blank space, a shapeless empty time between BTV (‘Before the Virus’) a few weeks ago (aka ‘normality’) and ATV (‘After the Virus’) . . .
Disciples not only pray for one another, but seek to present the needs of suffering humanity before the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a set of intercessions specially for this coronavirus year…
This is not a ‘normal‘ Holy Thursday, but we may have discovered new aspects of our discipleship – and recovered long-forgotten parts of our tradition – through celebrating in this very unusual way.
The Way of the LORD’s Covenant
The giving of the Law is reported in Exodus chapters 19-24, but the theological commentary on it (chapters 32-34) is key to the entire Book of Exodus
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts
Select a category in the sidebar for more posts