Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
Year C
Reading: Numbers 6:22-27
Responsorial Psalm: PS 67:2-3; 5-6; 8
“May God bless us in his mercy”
Reading II: Galatians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
Luke 2:16 – “The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.”
Imagine the shepherds living a simple and quiet life herding sheep with the occasional excitement chasing the stray sheep or two or fending off some wild animals.
Suddenly a glorious angel appears and proclaims the birth of the messiah. With fear and obedience at the Lord’s command, the shepherds left their posts and sought out the child Messiah.
I try and imagine how I might have reacted when I put myself in their place. How will I feel? Perhaps there would have been some feeling of remorse – a sense of unworthiness to appear in person before him. A sense of shock and fear – knowing that the prophecy of the Messiah is real and lies before me as a newborn child.
But then I realise that the Messiah is not someone to fear but to rejoice in as a sign of hope and redemption. My heart soars knowing that in this little babe swaddled in the meekest of clothes – will be our guiding light into the kingdom of God.
Pray for the world impacted by Coronavirus today.
With thanks to Holy Name of Mary Parish, Hunters Hill, who have supplied these daily Advent and Christmas 2021 reflections from their publication Daily Inspirations of Faith: A Season of Prayer – Advent to Epiphany 2021-22.
