Feast of Mary, Mother of God
Prayer for peace in the world and for the end of every war.

First Reading

Numbers 6,22-27

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons and say: "This is how you must bless the Israelites. You will say: May Yahweh bless you and keep you. May Yahweh let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May Yahweh show you his face and bring you peace." This is how they must call down my name on the Israelites, and then I shall bless them.'

Psalmody

Psalm 67

Antiphon

Blessed is the Lord who frees his people.

Let God arise, let his foes be scattered.
Let those who hate him flee before him.

As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away;
like wax that melts before the fire,
so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.

But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
they shall exult and dance for joy.

O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;
make a highway for him who rides on the clouds.
Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
such is God in his holy place.

God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth into freedom :
but rebels must dwell in a parched land.

When you went forth, O God, at the head of your people
when you marched across the desert, the earth trembled :

the heavens melted at the presence of God,
at the presence of God, Israel's God.

You poured down, O God, a generous rain :
when your people were starved you gave them new life.

It was there that your people found a home,
prepared in your goodness, O God for the poor.

The Lord gives the word to the bearers of good tidings :
'The Almighty has defeated a numberless army

and kings and armies are in flight, in flight
while you were at rest among the sheepfolds.'

At home the women already share the spoil.
They are covered with silver as the wings of a dove,

its feathers brilliant with shining gold
and jewels flashing like snow on Mount Zalmon.

The mountains of Bashan are mighty mountains;
high-ridged mountains are the mountains of Bashan.

Why look with envy, you high-ridged mountains,
at the mountain where God has chosen to dwell?
It is there that the Lord shall dwell for ever.

The chariots of God are thousands upon thousands.
The Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.

You are gone up on high; you have taken captives,
receiving men in tribute, O God,
even those who rebel, into your dwelling, O Lord.

May the Lord be blessed day after day.
He bears our burdens, God our saviour.

This God of ours is a God who saves.
The Lord our God holds the keys of death.

And God will smite the head of his foes,
the crown of those who persist in their sins.

The Lord said : 'I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depth of the sea.

Then your feet will tread in their blood
and the tongues of your dogs take their share of the foe.'

They see your solemn procession, O God,
the procession of my God, of my king, to the sanctuary;

the singers in the forefront, the musicians coming last,
between them, maidens sounding their timbrels.

'In festive gatherings, bless the Lord;
bless God, O you who are Israel's sons.'

There is Benjamin, least of the tribes, at the head,
Judah's princes, a mighty throng,
Zebulun's princes, Naphtali's princes.

Show forth, O God, show forth your might,
your might O God, which you have shown for us

for the sake of your temple high in Jerusalem
may kings come to you bringing their tribute.

Threaten the wild beast that dwells in the reeds,
the bands of the mighty and lords of the peoples.

Let them bow down offering silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.

Princes will make their way from Egypt:
Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God.

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, praise the Lord
who rides on the heavens, the ancient heavens.

He thunders his voice, his mighty voice.
Come, acknowledge the power of God.

His glory is on Israel; his might is in the skies.
God is to be feared in his holy place.

He is the Lord, Israel's God.
He gives strength and power to his people.
Blessed be God!

Second Reading

Galatians 4,4-7

but when the completion of the time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law, so that we could receive adoption as sons. As you are sons, God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son crying, 'Abba, Father'; and so you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir, by God's own act.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Glory to God in the highest
and peace on earth to the people he loves.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Luke 2,16-21

So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

The liturgy invites us to look at Mary, to celebrate and venerate her as the Mother of God. Seven days have passed since Christmas and with this feast, the Church wants us all to look at the Mother of that Child. Certainly, - and it is good to underline it - we do not find her alone; she holds Jesus on her lap. The Gospel says that as soon as the shepherds arrived in Bethlehem, they "found Mary and Joseph, and the child." It is beautiful to imagine Jesus out of the manger and in Mary's arms. It is one of the most familiar and tender images of the mystery of the incarnation. In the tradition of the Eastern Church the relationship between the mother and the son is so strong that you never find an image of Mary without Jesus, her ask is to generate him and to show him to the world. Once at the cave, the shepherds saw a child. And the shepherds after seeing him - we could say after contemplating him - "they made known what had been told them about this child." In this affirmation is contained the entire life of Christinas. If in the previous night the angels spoke to the shepherds of the Child, it is not difficult to think that in the cave Mary spoke of the Son to the shepherds. Mary, who "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart," knew well what mystery was present in that child. It is now a beautiful and never more useful tradition that on the first day of the year the Church gather to invoke the gift of peace. It is like extending the blessing we heard from the reading in Numbers to the entire world, to the family of peoples: "The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." There is need that the Lord broaden his gaze on all peoples on earth. At the beginning of this year we need to gather the hymn of the angels on Christmas night: "On earth peace among those whom [God] favours!" This is our prayer and hymn for this beginning of the year. May the Spirit of the Lord descend in the hearts of men and women and melt their hardness; may he transform the hearts of our cities and push way hatred, oppression, and indifference from them. May he change the heart of peoples at war so that violent spirits may be disarmed, and workers of peace be strengthened. May he transform the heart of each man and woman so that we may discover the face of the only God, father of all.