Christian Goal Setting!

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Mary, Mother of God

Nm 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21

Today, we welcome the New Year – 2025!

As we are all set to embrace a new beginning, what are our thoughts and feelings?

Newness is always interesting. It builds expectations. We grow very hopeful and confident. We believe that our lives will change for the better with the new year at our doorsteps. We are thrilled at the newer possibility that is about to unfold right in front of our eyes. 

But is such positivity the only pervading feeling in all of us?

Some of us happen to view such newness with feelings of ambiguity and uncertainty. Though life went on in the past year, there are some things that truly unsettled us individually, as a family, or even as a community. While some are excited about the fresh opening, some others tend to ask, ‘Will the new year be different? It should not be the same at least!’

Hence, a new beginning like the new year always presents itself with both possibilities. We are both excited and troubled. Our optimism is affected by some painful realities of the past. 

If this is real about most of us, how to approach the coming new year? For Christians, New Year’s Day is also the feast of Mary, Mother of God. In what way does the feast respond to our excitements or anxieties and apprehensions? 

I believe celebrating the new year with the feast of Mother Mary as Theotokos still carries a profound meaning. In other words, it would be no exaggeration to claim that celebrating Mary’s life as the Mother of God is the right way to begin our new year. 

Mary’s life gives us the needed light to navigate the upcoming year, though we can be unsure about how the year will present itself to us. Let us look at Mary’s life for lessons to carry into the new year. 

1.Mary walked into the future trusting in God. Looking at Mary’s life, one can be sure that she was not in the know of whatever unfolded in her life. She had a tough time understanding the miraculous signs that surrounded the birth of Jesus, be it the sudden appearance of the star, the shepherds from the fields, the angels singing, the arrival of the Magi, their flight into Egypt, the words of Simeon, etc. She seems content, though her life (and Joseph’s as well) was dependent on revelations from God. These amazing happenings must have troubled her heart with a question: Are these for good or bad? But Mary, who walked by faith, not by sight, (2 Cor 5:7) could encounter everything with a deeper trust in God’s plans and providence. 

2. Mary always attempted to discern God’s will even when she was totally clueless. For the reasons mentioned above, whenever Mary was puzzled, she started discerning the will of God through those happenings. She looked for insights through the very problems she encountered. There she manifests an unparalleled hope that should exemplify every Christian life. Her attitude toward life typifies the maxim: ‘The best way is always through.’ Mary learned to stay hopeful and positive whenever it was hard for her to make sense of things in her life. She neither loses heart because her life path does not look clear; nor does she pray that God clears the storms of her life. With her habitual discernment of God’s will, Mary does not crawl back in fear or look back or retreat.  

3. Mary becomes an example of leading a life in solidarity with the Divine. Starting with her ‘yes’ to God’s will at the annunciation, till she hit the foot of the cross, her life syncs in perfect harmony with the Divine will. For those of us who are familiar with God’s accompaniment with His people, Mary’s solidarity with God is something striking and insightful. Walking with Jesus from his early days, Mary perfectly understood what it means to stand with God through thick and thin. Her courage to walk the most difficult journey with her son Jesus, to the cross and beyond, is exceptional and exemplary. Beyond her faith and discernment, we find Mary doing her part to make the Divine dream come true for humanity. 

By excelling in her discipleship and thriving amidst the most uncertain conditions, Mary gives us a sense of direction to approach what we are unclear about. 

Mary’s virtues convince me enough that her life helps Christian goal setting on New Year’s Day. 

Let us pray that we may discover from Mary’s example light for our way to start the new journey. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar