NEW YEAR-2013  ( MARY, MOTHER OF GOD)

New Year's Day is the one holiday that is almost universal. It is the world's most observed holiday. But as Catholics we have one important dimension to this day. It is the feast of  Mary Mother of God. It is appropriate to have a mother to accompany our first steps. The Church ensures us that our first step of the new year be guided by our spiritual mother.

A new year is like a new baby: it has to be given a name, and yes, today’s readings are about naming.  The first reading says, “So shall they invoke my name upon the people”, and in the Gospel the child is named Jesus.  We begin the year in God’s name, and in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Before we begin to use any thing we get it blessed in the name of God, especially a new house, a new car or any other articles especially religious articles. It assures God’s ever abiding presence with us in and through those things. With God’s guiding hand we can be assured that we will reach safe to our destination.

One small boy went to a crowded festival with his dad. He was holding on to the little finger of his dad as he went watching different shows. Suddenly he lost hold of his dad’s finger and got lost in the crowd. He looked around and he could not find his dad. He walked around went past many stalls and shows, but he could enjoy none as before, he could feel no peace, until he traced his dad back and held on to his finger. All those shows he saw without holding to his dad’s finger he could not enjoy. So are we in this world. We need to get back to hold on to that little finger of our DAD, before we can peacefully get around and enjoy the world and its shows. Only when we have that strong finger in our hold we can confidently walk around. On the first day of the year we are here to hold the finger of that dad.

On this new day we are excited about the possibilities of this upcoming year. God has great things planned for you and me, and our families. But He will do His part if we will do our part! We must pray like as if everything depends upon God, and we must work as if everything depends upon us. We must remember to keep work and prayer hand in hand.

One other important thing to keep in mind this new year is to adopt the attitude of optimism. Only when we have a positive attitude we get extra energy to overcome the challenges of our life. A positive attitude comes from prayer and faith in God.

When our attitude to life is right, our whole life would be right. Every new year’s day I remember this story which I learned in my elementary school. It is about two boys. One had a very positive outlook to everything and the other was a pessimist. One day their teacher gave them an assignment. He gave them five dollars each and showed them one each  rooms and told them to fill them with anything you chose. And he will come and examine after two weeks. The bad spirited boy thought to himself, how can I fill this big room with just five dollars… he thought for some days and finally thought he would ask the garbage man to fill the room with garbage. And made deal with him and paid him five dollars. The other boy also thought for some days on his plan and he finally came up with this idea. He went and bought a candle and a few incense sticks and a match box. And on the day the teacher came to examine the room he lighted the candle and the incense sticks in the room and the room was filled with light and perfume smell. It goes without saying that the teacher was encouraged by the attitude and actions of the good spirited boy. When our attitude is right our whole life is going to be enlightened and happy. We have a similar story in the bible. The story of Cain and Abel. Both of them offered offerings to God. Both of them offered their first fruits…but Cain’s attitude was not right so his offering was not accepted by God. God blessed Abel and that was the reason for Cain’s jealousy. Today on this first day of the year God is going to bless us.

He told Joshua to bless his people with this blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

He is offering us a mother too so that we can hold her finger too and in case we fail to hold our dad’s hand she will protect us and take us safely to him.

Let us put ourselves and the year of 2013 into her motherly hands. She will take care to guide us on the path to heaven. May you have a year filled with God's blessing, grace, and peace.