The Mother, The Blessing, and Our New Name

Voice over by Carol San San Lwin

Num 6:22-27, Psalm: 66, Gal 4:4-7, Lk 2:16-21

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

A happy and blessed New Year! As the world turns the page on the calendar, the Church, in her wisdom, does not begin with a resolution, but with a revelation. She places before us the most ancient of blessings and the most intimate of relationships, revealing that our journey into the future begins not with our own strength, but within the family of God.

In our first reading, we hear the beautiful Aaronic blessing: “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!” For centuries, Israel longed for the full radiance of God’s face. Today, we celebrate the stunning answer to that prayer. The face of God has shone upon us, not in a pillar of cloud or fire, but in the gentle, human face of the Christ Child. And the one who first beheld that face, who nursed and swaddled the source of all grace, is Mary, the Theotokos—the God-bearer.

This title, “Mother of God,” is the cornerstone of our salvation. It is not just a honorific for Mary; it is a truth about Jesus. As St. Paul clarifies in our second reading, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” Why is “born of a woman” so vital? Because it confirms that the eternal Son of God truly entered our human condition. He has a human mother. He is one of us. By taking flesh from the Virgin Mary, He sanctified humanity itself, making it possible for us to become what He is by nature: children of God.

As Pope Benedict XVI taught, “In this way, it is precisely God’s greatness that comes close to us, and our taking refuge in God’s Mother, in the Mother of the One who is God-with-us, becomes a path on which we can always pass through the world in the shelter of God’s proximity.” Because Mary is the Mother of God, we are no longer slaves but adopted sons and daughters, crying out with the Spirit, “Abba, Father!” (Gal 4:6). Mary’s divine motherhood is the cause of our divine sonship.

And how does our Mother respond to this mystery? The Gospel shows us her unique posture: “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). While the shepherds rush to spread the news, Mary is still. She ponders. She treasures the events and holds them in a silent, prayerful dialogue with God. She does not yet understand everything, but she trusts completely. St. Thérèse of Lisieux saw in this the essence of Mary’s simplicity: “She… grew in holiness by the most ordinary actions… She is Mother, and our Mother, who teaches us to seek God in littleness and love.”

From this, we can draw a practical path for our own new year:

1. Become a Heart that Ponders: In a world of noise and haste, we are called to imitate Mary’s reflective heart. This means taking a verse of Scripture, a moment from our day, or a teaching of the Church, and holding it quietly before the Lord, asking, “What are you saying to me here?” This is not passive; it is the active work of faith.
2. Live Your True Identity: We will be tempted this year to define ourselves by our job, our successes, our failures, or our possessions. The Church today reminds us: Your primary, unshakable identity is that you are a beloved child of God. Live with the freedom and dignity that flows from that truth.
3. Invoke the Name of Jesus: On this day, the infant is circumcised and named: Jesus, “God saves.” The ancient blessing of Aaron now has its power in this holy name. Begin each day, each task, and each challenge by calling upon the name of Jesus, the only name under heaven given for our salvation.

My dear friends, we do not step into this new year alone or unprotected. We go with the blessing of the Father shining upon us. We go as co-heirs with Christ. And we go with the tender guidance of our Mother, Mary.

Let us entrust this year and all our hopes to her Immaculate Heart. May she, who pondered the Word-made-Flesh, help us to treasure Him in our hearts. May she, the Mother of God, teach us to live as a true family of God, radiating the grace, mercy, and peace of her Son to a world yearning for His light.

Through the intercession of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, may the Lord bless you and keep you throughout this new year. Amen.