Jan. 1, 2021: Mary, Mother of God

Here in the US, we Americans say, “Happy New Year,” on the first day of the year. In South Korea, all Koreans say to each other on the First Day of the year, “May you receive abundant blessings this new year.” So I wish all of you you today, “Saehae bok mani badeuseyo” (Hangul: 새해 복 많이 받으세요).

The beginning of a new year brims with new hope, change, and possibilities. In South Korea, thousands of people brave the cold and hours of driving to get to the eastearn coastline of the country to watch the first sunrise of the new year. 

I find it interesting that many people look at the first day of the year as the day that sets the tone for the whole year. We know this isn’t so. How many of us on the first day of 2020 would have expected what we experienced during the year. While the world celebrates the beginning of a new year, the Universal Church greets the new year by honoring the Blessed Mother under the title of Mother of God. 

We heard from the Gospel that immediately after the birth of Jesus, the shepherds visited Blessed Mother and St. Joseph to tell them of the amazing news from an angel. After hearing such an amazing confirmation from the shepherds, Blessed Mother prayerfully kept the events in her heart; not questioning God, but praying in faith. Perhaps she remembered the words she spoke to the angel nine months earlier, “Let it be done to me according to your word.” 

Our Heavenly Mother reminds us to entrust our future with all our hopes, dreams, and fears into the hands of God. As we experience tragedies that shake us to our very core, situations that stop us in our tracks, or interruptions that change the course of our life forever, our faith guides us to put our complete faith and trust in God even though we may not understand the situation.

Whether we are experiencing sorrows or joys, Our Lord and the Blessed Mother are with us with their constant presence throughout our lives. While our memory may be overwhelmed with the bad events that have happened this year, let us not forget the hidden blessings that came forth. 

Let us remember that our hope comes from an infant child who has come to save us. I pray that the Lord Jesus and His Mother Mary may enrich your lives during the New Year with an abundance of God’s blessings