Key Message:
Let us be achievers just like our Mamma Mary!!
Homily:
Today’s Gospel starts with the happy occasion of the shepherds finding Mamma Mary, Saint Joseph and the child Jesus in the manger!! They were the first ones who were sent the invitation and the first ones to adore our baby Lord Jesus. From them the amazement and happiness spread across to other people. This happens in our life today too. Once we start experiencing the closeness and the presence of our Lord Jesus we too experience the joy and the happiness of the shepherds during the first Christmas. Like the shepherds let us be focussed on experiencing the joy of being with Jesus in this New Year!!
The Holy Bible says, “Mamma Mary treasured all these ….” Mamma Mary could not completely understand but treasured all these things. The Bible does not say Mamma Mary treasured the hardships she had to encounter in the journey to Bethlehem, people refusing them room for Mamma Mary’s delivery… But it says when the shepherds came and gave them happiness, Mamma Mary treasured all these things in her heart.
It is a very big lesson to learn from Mamma Mary. We naturally tend to treasure the tears we shed, the hardships we encountered rather than the blessings we received from God. At times we feel our life is painful because we forget all the blessings we received and treasure only the painful ones!! But in the case of Mamma Mary, after undergoing all the pain till the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no place it is mentioned that “Mamma Mary pondered these in her heart… ” Looks like Mamma Mary is a great positive person. After undergoing hardships, it looks like she did not think about it any more. Mamma Mary repeatedly thought only about the blessings in her heart!! Like Mamma Mary, can we also take an oath in this New Year to ponder only about our blessings.
Mamma Mary started with nothing in her hand in the manger to take care of her baby as a new mother. She trusted in God for all her provisions. Though she did not have any infrastructure, she did not yield to self-pity. She only trusted that God would be able to provide for her. Though there was no door in the manger to protect them from the cold, there was an ox which Saint Joseph pulled near the opening of the cave to serve as a door. It was not told that they shed a tear because of their scarcity. They believed and praised God in their scarcity. Their hearts were not even confused on how to handle the situation. They did not undergo the ‘worry part’ because they believed in God. God made them undergo this moment of scarcity for them to help us trust in Him in our moments of scarcity. Like Mamma Mary, can we trust our Almighty Father in our moments of scarcity?
Since they did not have food to eat, Almighty God sent them the provisions through the shepherds. Though Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph did not have any friends or relatives there to help them, God sent them the required help through some other people. If you are in need and you are not supported by any of your friends or relatives, or all your known acquaintances have forgotten about you, do not be brokenhearted. Almighty God will send someone to miraculously help you out. That’s why our God is known as “Father of the helpless!!” Let us call out to “Our Father of the helpless”. He will provide all the help we need!!
The shepherds were the angels provided to Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph. Seeing them suffering in the manger, they arranged a small room for them to stay in another well-to-do lady’s house. They gave them sheep for milk and some more food. When we walk according to our Almighty Father’s will, though there may be scarcity, we will still be taken care of by the angels. Let us take care of doing our Almighty Father’s will, Angels will take care of undoing our scarcity!!
Mamma Mary wholeheartedly followed our Almighty Father’s will. She beautifully trusted in God and never worried even though she was not aware where their next meal would come from. She was not aware of God’s plan for her provisions, but she trusted in God. Actually God will be waiting for us to trust in Him with lots of provisions, as He is our provider. When our Lord Jesus did a miraculous cure, He did not say, “I healed you”. Surprisingly He says, “Your faith has healed you”. Let us trust in God. Then we will not worry, or deeply plunge ourselves into self pity. We will courageously trust in our Almighty Father like our Mamma Mary and win every battle in this Blessed New Year!!
Key Message:
Let us be achievers just like our Mamma Mary!!
Homily:
Today’s Gospel starts with the happy occasion of the shepherds finding Mamma Mary, Saint Joseph and the child Jesus in the manger!! They were the first ones who were sent the invitation and the first ones to adore our baby Lord Jesus. From them the amazement and happiness spread across to other people. This happens in our life today too. Once we start experiencing the closeness and the presence of our Lord Jesus we too experience the joy and the happiness of the shepherds during the first Christmas.
Like the shepherds let us be focussed on experiencing the joy of being with Jesus in this New Year!!
The Holy Bible says, “Mamma Mary treasured all these ….” Mamma Mary could not completely understand but treasured all these things. The Bible does not say Mamma Mary treasured the hardships she had to encounter in the journey to Bethlehem, people refusing them room for Mamma Mary’s delivery… But it says when the shepherds came and gave them happiness, Mamma Mary treasured all these things in her heart.
It is a very big lesson to learn from Mamma Mary. We naturally tend to treasure the tears we shed, the hardships we encountered rather than the blessings we received from God. At times we feel our life is painful because we forget all the blessings we received and treasure only the painful ones!! But in the case of Mamma Mary, after undergoing all the pain till the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no place it is mentioned that “Mamma Mary pondered these in her heart… ” Looks like Mamma Mary is a great positive person. After undergoing hardships, it looks like she did not think about it any more. Mamma Mary repeatedly thought only about the blessings in her heart!!
Like Mamma Mary, can we also take an oath in this New Year to ponder only about our blessings.
Mamma Mary started with nothing in her hand in the manger to take care of her baby as a new mother. She trusted in God for all her provisions. Though she did not have any infrastructure, she did not yield to self-pity. She only trusted that God would be able to provide for her. Though there was no door in the manger to protect them from the cold, there was an ox which Saint Joseph pulled near the opening of the cave to serve as a door. It was not told that they shed a tear because of their scarcity. They believed and praised God in their scarcity. Their hearts were not even confused on how to handle the situation. They did not undergo the ‘worry part’ because they believed in God. God made them undergo this moment of scarcity for them to help us trust in Him in our moments of scarcity.
Like Mamma Mary, can we trust our Almighty Father in our moments of scarcity?
Since they did not have food to eat, Almighty God sent them the provisions through the shepherds. Though Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph did not have any friends or relatives there to help them, God sent them the required help through some other people. If you are in need and you are not supported by any of your friends or relatives, or all your known acquaintances have forgotten about you, do not be brokenhearted. Almighty God will send someone to miraculously help you out. That’s why our God is known as “Father of the helpless!!”
Let us call out to “Our Father of the helpless”. He will provide all the help we need!!
The shepherds were the angels provided to Mamma Mary and Saint Joseph. Seeing them suffering in the manger, they arranged a small room for them to stay in another well-to-do lady’s house. They gave them sheep for milk and some more food. When we walk according to our Almighty Father’s will, though there may be scarcity, we will still be taken care of by the angels.
Let us take care of doing our Almighty Father’s will, Angels will take care of undoing our scarcity!!
Mamma Mary wholeheartedly followed our Almighty Father’s will. She beautifully trusted in God and never worried even though she was not aware where their next meal would come from. She was not aware of God’s plan for her provisions, but she trusted in God. Actually God will be waiting for us to trust in Him with lots of provisions, as He is our provider. When our Lord Jesus did a miraculous cure, He did not say, “I healed you”. Surprisingly He says, “Your faith has healed you”. Let us trust in God. Then we will not worry, or deeply plunge ourselves into self pity. We will courageously trust in our Almighty Father like our Mamma Mary and win every battle in this Blessed New Year!!
Wish you all a Blessed and Fruitful New Year!!