To read the texts click on the texts: Num 6:22-27, Gal 4:4-7, Lk 2:16-21
The first day of the New Year brings with it many
thoughts, feelings and emotions. The fact that it is January and named after
the Roman god Janus with two faces already indicates that it brings with it a
looking back and a looking ahead.
Thus it is a day for retrospection and
introspection and also a day for planning and goal setting. The retrospection
must be with a view to help the planning and goal setting and not an exercise
in condemnation of oneself or feeling regret.
It is fitting then that the first reading of today
should speak of a blessing. The blessing is what is commonly called a Priestly
blessing and pronounced on all the people of Israel. There are three pairs of
verbs used in the blessing resulting in a threefold blessing. The first
emphasizes concrete gifts—blessing and protection. The second stresses the hope
that God will be well disposed toward the person and thus temper judgement with
mercy and grace. The third asserts that God will pay attention and heed to his
people thus providing fullness of life. The central message of the blessing is
Peace, which must be translated as wholeness or completeness. The peace of God
embraces every aspect of an individual’s life.
The idea of blessing is taken up in the Second
reading of today. Paul in writing to the Galatians speaks of the blessing that
God conferred not just on Israel but on the whole world when he sent his Son.
The sending of the Son was for one reason alone, namely to reconcile the world
to himself and through that to make each of us sons and daughters of God. The
Son that God sent in to the world was not an angel but born of a woman, Mary
who dared to say that unconditional yes to God’s invitation to be the mother of
his Son.
This son whom God sent is human in every single
aspect of the word and is therefore circumcised and given a name. The name that
the child bears signifies his function. He is named Jesus because he will save
his people from their sins. This child will be king, but a new kind of king. He
will inaugurate a new world order, a world not like that of earthly kings but
under the direction of God’s design for the redemption of all peoples. In this
world, God’s Word is heard by all who remain open to that Word. In this world,
there is hope for the oppressed, and those who heard what God is doing are
filled with joy. God has not forgotten us or abandoned us to the brokenness we
have created. God continues to be concerned and to make new and whole. The New
Year thus, is for us as Christians, an announcement of hope. It is a call to
continue to believe that God continues to be in control of all the events that
will take place and that we only have to do what is required of us and leave
the rest to God.
Thus the triple celebration of Mary Mother of God,
the giving of the name of Jesus and New Year’s Day all close in on one theme:
Hope. The past is over and forgotten; it is forgiven and absolved; it is
pardoned and made new. The challenge is for us to respond like Mary did to what
God is doing in us and in our world. If we like Mary are open and receptive to
the working of God in our lives, if we like her are willing to let God do in
us, if we like her are willing to say that unconditional and categorical Yes,
then the saviour Jesus will continue to be made present all through the year.
The priestly blessing of peace pronounced on the
people in the first reading of today becomes then a blessing pronounced on each
of us as we begin the New Year. We must keep in mind throughout the year that
like the Galatians we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God. This
means living in a fearless and bold manner. It means being able to face all the
vicissitudes and challenges of life with equanimity and confident in the
knowledge that we are loved unconditionally by God and that God will be with us
every step of the way in the New Year.