Sermon/Homily for the Solemnity of Mary The Holy Mother of God 1st January 2024

Sermon/Homily for the Solemnity of Mary The Holy Mother of God 1st January 2024 

Numbers 6:22-27. Psalm 67:2-3,5,6,8. Galatians 4:4-7. Luke 2:16-21.

Theme: Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace.

On the first of January, Christians celebrate several festive events. We celebrate, first of all, New Year's Day; then we think of the circumcision of Jesus, which took place. St. Luke tells us, eight days after his birth (Luke 2:21); the day was later on dedicated to Mary, Mother of God, and finally, in 1968 Pope St. Paul VI chose January 1st as the "World Day of Peace."

The first reading is about blessing. The words of the Lord to Moses is that Aaron and his sons in their office as priests should bless the sons of Israel. In my office as a priest of the New Covenant, I bless you all with these same words as we begin a new year today: "May the Lord bless you and keep you: may He make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: may He lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Peace is needed in our world today more than ever. The war between Russia and Ukraine will be two years next month, the war between Israel and Hamas is already over one month, and we have wars going on within individual countries in different parts of the world. We are aware of what happened just last week in Jos, Plateau state in our country, Nigeria. War is never a solution to any problem. We have enough problems already in the world. Adding wars to them is compounding the problems. We beg God to bring wars in our world to an end so that we will enjoy peace and tranquillity.

The second reading tells us of our divine sonship. By the coming of God's Son, born of woman, we received adoption as sons. God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father! So, through God, you are no longer a slave but a son, and

if a son then an heir" (Gal.4:7). What a privilege. Let us make the best of this to live in this new year as true sons and daughters of God.

In today's Gospel, Jesus was circumcised after eight days of his birth. Mary and Joseph remained faithful to the tradition and custom of their people. 

When we say Mary is the Mother of God, what does this imply? This is what the Church wants us to know concerning one of the four dogmas concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary is our Lady, full of grace and virtue, conceived without sin, who is the Mother of God and our mother, and who dwells both body and soul in heaven. Sacred Scripture refers to her as the most exalted of all creatures, the blessed one, the most praised among women, full of grace (Luke 1:28), she whom all generations shall call blessed (Luke 1:48). The Church teaches us that, after Christ, Mary occupies the place that is highest and closest to God because of her divine motherhood. She, after her Son, by the grace of God, was exalted over all angels and human beings. Through you, O virgin Mary, have been fulfilled all the oracles of the prophets who announced Christ: being a virgin you conceived the Son of God and, remaining a virgin, you gave birth to him (Vatican 2, Lumen Gentium, 63).

The Holy Spirit teaches us in the second reading that when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law .... (Gal.4:4). Jesus did not suddenly appear on earth from heaven. He became truly a man, like us, taking our human nature in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary. Insofar as He is God, Jesus is generated, not made, by God the Father from all eternity. Insofar as he is man, he was born, was made, of Mary. St. Cyril says, "I am exceedingly astounded  that there could be anyone who has any doubt as to whether the Blessed Virgin should be called the Mother of God. If our Lord Jesus Christ is God, why should the Blessed Virgin who gave him birth not be called the Mother of God? That is the faith that our Lord's disciples transmitted to us, even though they did not use this exact expression. And that too is what the holy fathers have taught us. Thus, it was defined by the Council of Ephesus.

All the feasts of our Lady are great events because they are opportunities the Church gives us to show with deeds that we love Mary. But if I had to choose one from among all her feasts, I would choose today's feast of the Divine Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A new year is a new opportunity to strengthen our relationship with God. It is a time to ponder on God's goodness and kindness in our lives. The Lord instructs Moses on the way the priests are to invoke his name upon the people. We, too, invoke the name of the Lord each time we make the sign of the Cross. What better time is there to ardently invoke the Lord's name to guide us through all our activities than the beginning of the year? On hearing the message of the angels, the shepherds go in haste to Bethlehem. How often do we act promptly when God speaks?

How awesome it is to fly to the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary as we begin the New Year. We are full of trepidation and the fear of the unknown at every new beginning, like Mary, whose unalloyed faith holds the key to her success, we, the children of grace, believe that living as the Blessed Virgin Mary did, we shall navigate the challenges of the New Year and emerge victorious.

May God bless his words in hearts and let these words bear fruits that will last through Christ our Lord. Amen.