Key Message:
Mamma Mary is mother of God and also mother of us!!
Homily:
Testimony: Friend1 : Why are you so close to Mamma Mary always? Friend 2: Because even when I am guilty of sins, I still feel so close to her. I am sure. that my Mamma Mary will still hug me, cover me under her mantle and plead to her Son, just for me.
Today’s Gospel message portrays the scene of God lying in a manger as a small baby and the shepherds are worshipping this cute baby Jesus, who is also our God. Our Lord Jesus came all the way from Heaven to be with us. As we see during the lifetime of our Lord Jesus, He helped all the helpless. When people were hungry, and there was no food to eat, our Lord multiplied five loaves of bread and two fishes. When the Apostles were hungry, our Lord cooked food for them, by the time they returned from fishing. He did both big miracles and small tasks, whatever His children needed at that point of time. So our Lord Jesus knows how much we need Him.
This year we will try to grow in our personal relationship with our Lord Jesus. Let us pray before anything else in the morning.
Mother Mary was always filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us consider how our Mamma Mary overcame the tough challenges in her life..
1. Revealing her resolution to ‘remain a virgin always’ to her spouse.
Mamma Mary resolved to be a virgin for God all through her life. So she had to reveal this secret to her future spouse that she would remain a virgin always. This would have been a tough task, that too when She was so young. But Mamma Mary boldly revealed her resolution to Saint Joseph, trusting in Almighty God. By the grace of God, Saint Joseph eagerly and joyously resolved to remain a virgin for God on hearing Mamma Mary’s resolution. (References from ‘Poem of the Man-God’)
The Takeaway:
Mamma Mary boldly followed God’s will even though it was not part of human norms. Hence we need to be willing to stand outside the box, if it is God’s will, only trusting in His providence.
2. Waiting on God to reveal her innocence to Saint Joseph:
One of the most challenging situations for Mamma Mary to trust in God would have been to wait on God to reveal her innocence to Saint Joseph. The Holy Bible says that Saint Joseph was pondering on how to divorce Mamma Mary. At the same time, what would have been the agony of Mamma Mary? Mamma Mary had lost her parents at the age of 3. Now if Saint Joseph also does not accept her, what would she do with her baby? She was waiting on God to solve this issue. In the ‘Poem of the Man-God’, Mamma Mary says that she underwent huge agony from the time when Saint Joseph came to know about Mamma Mary’s pregnancy till God revealed the reason to Saint Joseph. And she purposefully refrained from revealing to Saint Joseph, the whole story of the Annunciation, for God. God in His perfect time, sent His Angel and explained to Saint Joseph.
The Takeaway:
Mamma Mary trusted in God in the toughest of toughest times. Mamma Mary never tried to vindicate herself. She made God her vindicator. In our tough times too, we should never lose hope. We can leave to the Lord the care of proclaiming us and remain in silence.
3. Travelling to Bethlehem in the final stage of her pregnancy:
Saint Joseph was dismayed on how to handle the situation of taking Mother Mary to Bethlehem when it was time for Mamma Mary to deliver. Mother Mary was full of peace and she was also happy with how God had pre-arranged events so that His Son may be born in Bethlehem. She edifies Saint Joseph saying, “Don’t be afraid. Everything will be alright. God finds a shelter for the animal, which is about to give birth. Do you think He will not find one for His Messiah? We trust in Him. Don’t we? The harder the trial, the more we trust..”
Saint Joseph listens to Mamma Mary with attention and gets up happy.
The Takeaway:
These same words of Mamma Mary to Saint Joseph also edify us. The harder the trial, the more we should trust.
4. Searching for a room in Bethlehem:
Saint Joseph searched for a whole day for a room and finally ended up in a den. He finally consoles himself saying, “It is better than nothing”.
The Takeaway:
Though they were sincerely following God’s commands, they faced only rejection. If people misinterpret our good intentions, accuse us falsely and reject us, let us be encouraged that our loving Lord Jesus is there to take care of us.
5. Prophecy of Simeon:
When the baby Jesus was presented in the temple, the prophecy was of sorrow. Already Mamma Mary, when carrying the child, would have suffered on mediating the words of Isaiah, that “He will be called a man of sorrows”. During the presentation there was also was a sorrowful prophecy. Which mother can carry her child happily in her womb when it is written that He will be called a man of sorrows and has to do the penance for the sins of the whole world?
The Takeaway:
The sorrows undergone by Mamma Mary are unimaginable. The surprising part is if anyone else in that position would have given themselves to ‘self-pity’, resulting in deep depression. But Mother Mary resolved to live everything that God had planned for her, and courageously lived according to His plan.
6. The flight into Egypt:
Joseph wakes up from his dream and tells Mamma Mary to get ready to flee to Egypt. Saint Joseph makes all the required arrangements as the journey will be a difficult one over the mountains and the desert. Mamma Mary cries on seeing the sufferings of Saint Joseph.
The Takeaway:
There is a fragrance of holiness and chastity between Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph. When Saint Joseph suffers, Mamma Mary weeps for him. When we suffer too, our Mamma Mary weeps for us. Let us be confident of our Mamma Mary who cares for us.
Whatever problems come, let us resolve to trust in our God, just like our Mamma Mary, in this New Year!!
Key Message:
Mamma Mary is mother of God and also mother of us!!
Homily:
Testimony: Friend1 : Why are you so close to Mamma Mary always? Friend 2: Because even when I am guilty of sins, I still feel so close to her. I am sure. that my Mamma Mary will still hug me, cover me under her mantle and plead to her Son, just for me.
Today’s Gospel message portrays the scene of God lying in a manger as a small baby and the shepherds are worshipping this cute baby Jesus, who is also our God. Our Lord Jesus came all the way from Heaven to be with us. As we see during the lifetime of our Lord Jesus, He helped all the helpless. When people were hungry, and there was no food to eat, our Lord multiplied five loaves of bread and two fishes. When the Apostles were hungry, our Lord cooked food for them, by the time they returned from fishing. He did both big miracles and small tasks, whatever His children needed at that point of time. So our Lord Jesus knows how much we need Him.
This year we will try to grow in our personal relationship with our Lord Jesus. Let us pray before anything else in the morning.
Mother Mary was always filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us consider how our Mamma Mary overcame the tough challenges in her life..
1. Revealing her resolution to ‘remain a virgin always’ to her spouse.
Mamma Mary resolved to be a virgin for God all through her life. So she had to reveal this secret to her future spouse that she would remain a virgin always. This would have been a tough task, that too when She was so young. But Mamma Mary boldly revealed her resolution to Saint Joseph, trusting in Almighty God. By the grace of God, Saint Joseph eagerly and joyously resolved to remain a virgin for God on hearing Mamma Mary’s resolution. (References from ‘Poem of the Man-God’)
The Takeaway:
Mamma Mary boldly followed God’s will even though it was not part of human norms. Hence we need to be willing to stand outside the box, if it is God’s will, only trusting in His providence.
2. Waiting on God to reveal her innocence to Saint Joseph:
One of the most challenging situations for Mamma Mary to trust in God would have been to wait on God to reveal her innocence to Saint Joseph. The Holy Bible says that Saint Joseph was pondering on how to divorce Mamma Mary. At the same time, what would have been the agony of Mamma Mary? Mamma Mary had lost her parents at the age of 3. Now if Saint Joseph also does not accept her, what would she do with her baby? She was waiting on God to solve this issue. In the ‘Poem of the Man-God’, Mamma Mary says that she underwent huge agony from the time when Saint Joseph came to know about Mamma Mary’s pregnancy till God revealed the reason to Saint Joseph. And she purposefully refrained from revealing to Saint Joseph, the whole story of the Annunciation, for God. God in His perfect time, sent His Angel and explained to Saint Joseph.
The Takeaway:
Mamma Mary trusted in God in the toughest of toughest times. Mamma Mary never tried to vindicate herself. She made God her vindicator. In our tough times too, we should never lose hope. We can leave to the Lord the care of proclaiming us and remain in silence.
3. Travelling to Bethlehem in the final stage of her pregnancy:
Saint Joseph was dismayed on how to handle the situation of taking Mother Mary to Bethlehem when it was time for Mamma Mary to deliver. Mother Mary was full of peace and she was also happy with how God had pre-arranged events so that His Son may be born in Bethlehem. She edifies Saint Joseph saying, “Don’t be afraid. Everything will be alright. God finds a shelter for the animal, which is about to give birth. Do you think He will not find one for His Messiah? We trust in Him. Don’t we? The harder the trial, the more we trust..”
Saint Joseph listens to Mamma Mary with attention and gets up happy.
The Takeaway:
These same words of Mamma Mary to Saint Joseph also edify us. The harder the trial, the more we should trust.
4. Searching for a room in Bethlehem:
Saint Joseph searched for a whole day for a room and finally ended up in a den. He finally consoles himself saying, “It is better than nothing”.
The Takeaway:
Though they were sincerely following God’s commands, they faced only rejection. If people misinterpret our good intentions, accuse us falsely and reject us, let us be encouraged that our loving Lord Jesus is there to take care of us.
5. Prophecy of Simeon:
When the baby Jesus was presented in the temple, the prophecy was of sorrow. Already Mamma Mary, when carrying the child, would have suffered on mediating the words of Isaiah, that “He will be called a man of sorrows”. During the presentation there was also was a sorrowful prophecy. Which mother can carry her child happily in her womb when it is written that He will be called a man of sorrows and has to do the penance for the sins of the whole world?
The Takeaway:
The sorrows undergone by Mamma Mary are unimaginable. The surprising part is if anyone else in that position would have given themselves to ‘self-pity’, resulting in deep depression. But Mother Mary resolved to live everything that God had planned for her, and courageously lived according to His plan.
6. The flight into Egypt:
Joseph wakes up from his dream and tells Mamma Mary to get ready to flee to Egypt. Saint Joseph makes all the required arrangements as the journey will be a difficult one over the mountains and the desert. Mamma Mary cries on seeing the sufferings of Saint Joseph.
The Takeaway:
There is a fragrance of holiness and chastity between Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph. When Saint Joseph suffers, Mamma Mary weeps for him. When we suffer too, our Mamma Mary weeps for us. Let us be confident of our Mamma Mary who cares for us.
Whatever problems come, let us resolve to trust in our God, just like our Mamma Mary, in this New Year!!